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By Caroline Tew
John Hammond from Jurassic Park
More than 25 years since Richard Attenborough starred as John Hammond in the original Jurassic Park, he is not forgotten. The action figure of the man who started it all comes with his signature cane as well as a dino hatching from its egg.
WWE "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Remember those bizarre Slim Jim commercials from the ’90s? This action figure commemorates the late WWE wrestler Randy Savage in his iconic outfit from the ads, complete with Slim Jim packaging.
Characters from The Big Bang Theory dressed as DC superheroes
This isn’t the first time the group has dressed up (remember that episode where all the guys showed up as the Flash?) but for this year’s exclusive SDCC Funko Pop collection, the gang figured it out: Howard is Batman, Leonard is the Green Lantern, Raj is Aquaman, Sheldon is the Flash, and Penny is, of course, Wonder Woman.
Continued on next slide.
The shark from Jaws eating Quint
It’s been 44 years since the iconic Steven Speilberg movie was released, but the horrifying moment when Quint slides into the jaws of the shark remains a haunting memory, and now this Funko Pop figurine somehow manages to make it adorable as well.
The Strange Lives of Batman multipack
This collection includes four unique Batman figurines, each signifying a different era of the hero’s history. Rainbow Batman, Zebra Batman, and Negative Batman are all included alongside the classic Silver Age Batman for this well-rounded and colorful set.
Darth Vader, prototype edition
The Star Wars villain gets a retro, and colorful, look for this special edition. What color is your Darth Vader?
Michelangelo as Batman
After Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was released earlier this year, it’s only fitting that the Turtles’ very own Michelangelo gets to be one of the many Batman figures released at SDCC.
Fawkes from Harry Potter
Ever trustworthy and highly symbolic, Dumbledore’s phoenix is one of the newest additions to the Funko Pop Harry Potter collection.
He-Man & Prince Adam from Masters of the Universe
Including both Prince Adam and his alter ego, He-Man, this is everything a Masters of the Universe fan needs.
The Dark Knight of Gotham City Lego set
In honor of Batman’s 80th anniversary, this Lego set offers perfect view of Gotham City.
Captain Marvel and the Asis Lego set
Now that she’s the star of her own movie, Captain Marvel is ready to blast off in this exclusive SDCC Lego set.
The Demogorgon from Stranger Things
Can’t get enough of Stranger Things? Neither can we! Celebrate the show’s third season with this spectacularly golden demogorgon.
Carl and Ellie from Up
If this couple from Up didn’t give you feels, we’re worried about you. These two adorable (and exclusive) Funko Pop figures are sure to melt your heart.
Dumpster Fire
PropsAndPop
Everything these days feels like a dumpster fire (which is not a good thing), but these little guys make it a little bit better. Unfortunately, looks like there will only be 10 sold per day at SDCC. Let’s hope the booth doesn’t turn into a…you guessed it…dumpster fire.
Beetlejuice Wooden Push Puppet
Thirty years after the movie’s release, Beetlejuice remains a cult classic. Although this toy is spectacularly spooky, we’re still waiting for one that pays homage to Winona Ryder.
Red Sith Trooper from Star Wars
It’s Comic-Con, so of course there is going to be Star Wars merch galore. Luckily, this one will stand out thanks to its bold red exterior.
Mr. Meeseeks from Rick and Morty
A true Rick and Morty fan knows all about Mr. Meeseeks. Now, you can conjure one up just at the turn of a crank! Who knew they made a jack-in-the-box for adults?
Comic-Con schedule 2018: All the movie and TV panels coming to San Diego
See the teaser for Steven Universe: The Movie, announced at Comic-Con
Walking Dead EP Greg Nicotero says Creepshow TV series shoot is 'hardest thing' he's ever done
See all the stars at Comic-Con 2018's biggest panels
See all the big movie and TV trailers to come out of Comic-Con
The Walking Dead season 10 will focus on paranoia and PTSD
Warner Bros announces San Diego Comic-Con plans for Supernatural, Riverdale, Black Lightning, and more
See the trailer for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
It: Chapter Two is taking Pennywise to San Diego Comic-Con
Family Guy season 17 trailer mocks Stranger Things, The Orville
New comic book character coming in season 10 of The Walking Dead
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone
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Big Brother recap: There’s a snake (or three) in the house
By Dalene Rovenstine
S21 E6
“Are you bitches conspiring against me?”
The answer is yes, Kat. Everyone is always conspiring against everyone because that’s literally the point of the show. And it’s kicking into gear here in week 3 of Big Brother.
Camp Comeback might be a new chance for Ovi and David, but it’s basically Camp Make Amends for Michie. This is the worst case scenario for him and he gets to work as soon as the live show ends. He takes David into the storage room and wants to know what went wrong in the banishment challenge. Michie pretends he’s so excited David is back in the house — as if that’s what he wanted all along — but David is no dummy. He knows he has a 1 in 4 chance to get back in the house, but he’s not putting his faith in Michie to help him get there.
Next, Michie pulls Ovi into the bathroom. He spins a story that they didn’t have the votes to keep Ovi and that’s why he had to vote with the house. Ovi is not as discerning as David and eats up this story hook, line, and sinker. That is until he talks to Nicole. She explains that The Jacks were a driving force in getting him out; they didn’t try to save him at all to her knowledge. While I feel incredibly sorry for Ovi (he got unanimously voted out of the house and didn’t get a moment to himself to process it), I’m glad that he’s finally aware of what’s going on.
You know who doesn’t know what’s going on? Kat. She tries to tell David this is a perfect time to come back into the house because “there aren’t any alliances.” She clearly cannot intuit relationships, because next thing you know, she’s jumping into a hammock with Holly and Michie with no clue she’s being a third wheel.
Michie has his third heart-to-heart of the episode and tells Kat it’s best for both their games if they don’t associate with one another. And here is where Kat finally gets wise to what’s going on: She points out that the two of them being friends has nothing to do with the game, that if he’s having a showmance, it’s more likely with Holly than her. Michie tries to sell the “it’s not you, it’s me” line, but Kat’s done.
Head of Household Jack offers to help out his bro with his nominations if Jackson wants to get Kat out (except not really out, out). And Jack may have every piece he needs to do just that. In this week’s Whacktivity Comp, he is able to match up snakes in a box (not a euphemism) 30 seconds faster than Sam (who I really thought was a lock for this comp). This means that up until there are only six people in the game, Jack has the power to change veto comp players. That is way too much power for a person that no one outside the BB house seems to like very much…
On a related topic… Jessica has a convo with Isabella and Nicole about making sure they keep women in the house. The three are all about creating a strong female alliance, and so is Kemi when she walks in minutes later. They decide to call themselves the Black Widows.
And two seconds later, Isabella, a champion of women, runs up to Jack and tells him all about it. He’s already “worried” about Kemi and Jessica so he’s not pleased to hear this. When Jessica goes up to talk with him later, he says he’s heard “speakings” (not a word) of an all women’s alliance. He decides to make the first move and puts them both on the block. At the nomination ceremony, he says it’s because he needs to make a move against them first. I’m sure that’s the only reason…
Here’s to hoping one of them will win the veto comp — winning a trip to Fiji for their troubles — and shake up the house. They’ve got to have a trick or two up their sleeves because as Kat says, bitches are always conspiring.
Big Brother once gave a behind-the-scenes tour to George Clooney
Big Brother recap: Conflicted and evicted
Big Brother producers teases brand-new twist
Julie Chen hosts as the houseguests battle it out.
The Real Housewives of New York City reunion part 1 recap: Feeling Jovani (remix)
Big Brother season premiere recap: Welcome to summer camp
Third Walking Dead series casts its first three leads
Big Brother recap: The first H.O.H. puts others on the chopping block
Big Brother producer teases brand-new twist for the show
The Bachelorette hometown dates recap: 'Do you say that to all of them?'
Big Brother producer reacts to Cliff's big mouth
Big Brother recap: The premiere, part II
The Bachelorette recap: Luke who's leaving (finally)
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills recap: A finale, finally
Fear the Walking Dead recap: Some major clues revealed for the three rings
Get an exclusive first look at the new Big Brother house
Big Brother producer says size of Gr8tful alliance is 'ridiculous'
Big Little Lies recap: Are the Monterey Five all about to crack?
Big Little Lies recap: The walls are closing in on the Monterey Five
Big Brother once gave George Clooney a behind-the-scenes tour
What to Watch this weekend: Meryl is coming for Nicole on Big Little Lies
Big Brother recap: Things get messy when veto powers are on the line
Stranger Things 3: The Duffer Brothers and Maya Hawke discuss Robin's big reveal
<em>Big Brother</em> recap: There’s a snake (or three) in the house
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Carmela Ciuraru in conversation with Andy Hunter
1. Evidence: Andy and (Russell) Brandy. 2. Andy and Carmela announcing the winners of the pseudonym contest.
There’s some college nostalgia going around in this July heat. First, I’m trying to figure out what to do with Google+ like I was trying to figure out what to do with Facebook freshman year. Then, someone sent me this unprompted, and if that doesn’t make you yearn for a Bud Light purchased with your old fake ID, then move along and pay no heed to the misty-eyed Outlet contributor on your way. Finally, capping this month on Lake Wobegon’s campus, Carmela Ciuraru and Andy Hunter sent me, along with a standing room-only crowd, back to the classroom (in a good way) last Wednesday.
1. Winner for pseudonym Will Beck, his real pseudonym! 2. Event-related goods. 3. Jiggles McGee, in the flesh!
Ciuraru and Hunter overtook the lower level of McNally Jackson on Wednesday night to talk about the stuff inside Ciuraru’s new book Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms. She is the editor of two poetry anthologies, a graduate of Columbia’s journalism school (roar, Lions, roar), and a past or current contributor to a long list of jealousy-inducing news publications including the Times (NY and LA, natch) and the WSJ. If the conversation was true to the content, her latest book is wicked smart and maniacally researched. It is a sixteen-story compilation of writers whose bylines belied their identities, making it worthy of a place on the syllabus of almost every English class you ever wanted to take. The writers Ciuraru chose to profile range from the pre-feminist feminist Brontë sisters (somber); to the cross-dressing George Sand (fun); to the fun-turned-somber Frenchman Romain Gary, who won the Prix Goncourt twice (not supposed to happen), once as himself and again as pseudonym Émile Ajar, and died by his own hand in 1980. Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa had dozens of “heteronyms,” as he called them, who corresponded with each other and occasionally disagreed on the quality of one another’s work. Ciuraru was unfailingly articulate in relaying every account, and Andy (sorry Andy, “Hunter” seems so cold for Dish) was the perfect host: thoughtful questions, valuable comments, seemingly not distracted by the looming portrait of Russell Brand on the cover of My Booky Wook in direct sightline. The intelligent conversation was followed by intelligent questions and everyone politely waited for a lull before refilling their cheese plates.
1. Just two photogenic literary people hanging out on a Wednesday. 2. Nikolina Nedelkkova and Adrian Saich, both of whom won prizes for pseudonyms they don’t really need, since they both have already great names.
In fact, it seemed the whole event would all be very composed and grown-up, when Ciuraru unexpectedly announced a contest that was “not mandatory, but it is required.” She handed out index cards and everyone was instructed to submit their best pseudonym for judgment (and prizes!). Among the winners: Bob Birdbody, Ebenezer Layne, Sasha Raskolnikov, Aroline Marshbloom, and Jiggles McGee.
1. Peter Miller, Julia Hyland Bruno, and Brian Gittis, the last an FSG and recent contributor to the Paris Review Daily. 2. Winner for pseudonym Cardamom Black, because if she had twins she’d name them Cardamom and Saffron.
This is where I would normally try for charming thematic closure, but normally I’m not trying to follow the name Jiggles McGee, so let’s leave it at that, shall we?
-Kai Twanmoh is a sometimes regular contributor to Electric Dish.
Crappy Writing
Aug 1 - Electric Literature Read
All the Misery of Being in Your 20s, But with Jokes
Erin Somers's "Stay Up with Hugo Best" takes on millennial malaise and predatory men, but without sacrificing humor
Jul 16 - Erin Bartnett
7 Books That Prove There’s More to WASPs than Country Club Memberships
Alexander Tilney, author of "The Expectations," recommends stories that give more insight into the privileged class
Jul 16 - Alexander Tilney
Move Over, Willy Loman—Literature Needs a New Salesman
The salesman has long represented the American Dream. It's time to broaden our imagination about what that looks like.
Jul 16 - Mateo Askaripour
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Board index Other The Tea Shop
Pub's Legs
Use this board for general non-cycling-related chat, or to introduce yourself to the forum.
Re: Pub's Legs
Postby reohn2 » 7 Feb 2019, 5:32pm
NUKe wrote:
661-Pete wrote:
reohn2 wrote: One and a half maybe
I seem to recall, LJS used a crutch, and didn't have a prosthetic leg. So I'd say, one.
Captain Ahab, on the other hand...
3 he had a parrot
Good thinking!
al_yrpal
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Where pasties are crimped at the top!
Contact al_yrpal
Postby al_yrpal » 7 Feb 2019, 5:50pm
Hang on a minute, Silver's parrot (Capn Flint I recall) was a permanent fixture and had 2 legs, so that makes 3 1/2!
Touring on a bicycle is a great way to explore and appreciate the countryside and towns you pass through. CTC gone but not forgotten!
Spambuster
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall
Postby Mick F » 7 Feb 2019, 5:52pm
What about the Fox and Hounds?
How many legs?
What about the fleas?
Six legs, and there could be thousands of them on each and every one of the un-numbered hounds, not counting the fleas on the fox.
Mick F. Cornwall
We have the Hare and Hounds in our village, so two less than that...
Or, are the Hare's paws paws or legs?
thirdcrank
Postby thirdcrank » 7 Feb 2019, 6:25pm
The Millipede
Why “The Millipede”? When Simon was a youngster he would often find himself on long car journeys with his older brother and their dad. To keep hem occupied, they used to play a game called “Legs”. This involved spotting pubs on your own side of the car and counting the number of legs ndicated by the name. So, for instance, “The King’s Arms” would score two, as Kings usually have two legs. “The Coach and Horses” would score ten, assuming two horses and a coachman. If you were lucky enough to spot “The Cricketers” on your side, you would score a massive twenty two! Simon longed for the day when he would spot a pub called “The Millipede”, giving him an unbeatable score of one thousand. He always said that if he ever opened a pub, he would call it “The Millipede, so here it is!
http://themillipede.co.uk/page2.html
Well done that man!
A very pleasant lunch today at the Fox and Hounds, Carthorpe. No picture on the pub sign, so I can't remember the score but I had dressed crab to start followed by Dover sole.
PS, should the thread title be Pubs' legs? Or perhaps pub legs?
661-Pete
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex
Postby 661-Pete » 8 Feb 2019, 7:53pm
thirdcrank wrote: The Millipede
Sorry to disappoint folks, but the world record for a millipede's number of legs is "only" 750; held by this little creature.
Unless there's a millipede species with more legs waiting to be discovered out there...
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Return to “The Tea Shop”
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Board index ‹ General Discussion ‹ General
Hundreds quarantined for measles in 2 CA universities.
For discussion and debate about anything. (Not a roleplay related forum; out-of-character commentary only.)
Telconi
Postmaster of the Fleet
Founded: Oct 08, 2016
Civil Rights Lovefest
by Telconi » Mon May 20, 2019 1:28 am
The Free Joy State wrote:
Telconi wrote:
But those laws only effect those who knowingly transmit the disease. Anti-Vaxxer folks aren't doing that AFAIK.
If they knowingly don't have their child vaccinated -- despite their child being medically fit for vaccination -- and their child gets ill with the disease they didn't vaccinate for, and they then take their ill child outside (to the park, to school, to one of the disease parties that anti-vaxxers still hold), that would be knowing transmission to unknowing parties.
But that wasn't the comparison I was making. It was more about the individual -- the person with an STI, the parent who doesn't wish to be vaccinated -- may have medical autonomy (different rules should apply with children, who precedent shows have a right to be protected from their parents' decisions), but there is also legal precedent for them having a duty to protect other people from things that may cause them medical harm.
Only if they knew they had a serious infectious disease.
There's a legal precedent that you must protect people from acts that *will* cause medical harm, for certain.
-2.25 LEFT
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ANTI:
-Racism
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-Government Overreach
-Government Surveillance
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-Unnecessary Taxes
-Excessively Specific Government Programs
-Foreign Entanglements
-Religious Extremism
-Fascists Masquerading as "Social Justice Warriors"
"The Constitution is NOT an instrument for the government to restrain the people,it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government-- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." ~ Patrick Henry
Duhon
Founded: Nov 21, 2018
by Duhon » Mon May 20, 2019 1:31 am
The Free Joy State wrote: There is an interesting comparison there.
People cannot be forcibly treated (and I would be concerned about compelled treatment of competent adults, due to the issues that presents with body autonomy), however they can be prosecuted in some places if they intentionally transmit an STI.
I stress I am not actually in favour of criminal prosecution and removal of children from non-vaccinating parents (though I am in favour of supervision orders to compel parents to vaccinate, if there's no medical reason -- for serious diseases like measles and polio), and I would prefer for such an approach to be augmented by greater public education to tackle misinformation so that, over time, such measures hardly needs to be used.
But the presence of laws that allow people to be prosecuted for deliberately transmitting an STI does suggest that it would not be out of order for anti-vaccination parents to be encouraged to consider the wider good (of children too young to be vaccinated, the pregnant, the immunocompromised, the elderly).
For a certain value of "unknowingly transmitting" -- that is, they made themselves ignorant, yet demand freedom of movement for themselves, whether they be vectors or not.
https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispa ... id=1205275
The Free Joy State
Senior Issues Editor
Founded: Jan 05, 2014
Iron Fist Consumerists
by The Free Joy State » Mon May 20, 2019 1:33 am
The Free Joy State wrote: If they knowingly don't have their child vaccinated -- despite their child being medically fit for vaccination -- and their child gets ill with the disease they didn't vaccinate for, and they then take their ill child outside (to the park, to school, to one of the disease parties that anti-vaxxers still hold), that would be knowing transmission to unknowing parties.
Measles, mumps, polio, etc. are known to be serious diseases with potentially deadly effects.
Children can be protected from Jehovah's Witness parents who don't wish to let them have a blood transfusion. It makes sense to protect children from parents who won't let them be vaccinated against diseases that can cause encephalitis and death.
An STI isn't certain to kill; but it is certain to be unpleasant, highly infectious and (with some exceptions) largely avoidable with correct care. Measles isn't certain to kill; but it will be unpleasant, highly infectious and (with some exceptions) largely avoidable with correct care. They seem comparable enough to me.
"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison
How to Write Issues for NS
The Writer's Block
Current Issues (Spoilers!)
NPC Nations and NPC Religions
Possible Issue Error? (please read OP)
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Issues (written/edited)
Scomagia wrote:
Duhon wrote:
Clearly fines don't work on people who've set themselves on infecting as many as possible.
Come now, you're lying. That is not their goal and you know it. It's really pathetic how it's not enough for some of the people in this thread to be right about vaccinations, they have to be downright hateful and shitty. Newsflash: opposing anti-vaxxers doesn't mean you have to lie about them or talk about putting them in Gulag or any of the other bullshit that comes up in these threads.
If they are ready to pay fines to resume the semblance of normal lives despite their potential as vectors, then fines aren't enough of a deterrent. Quarantining them (or "putting them in Gulag" as you put) won't work either, after you reach a certain number of people, for what I hope are obvious reasons.
Chernoslavia wrote:
... what insane logic is this? "Vaccines don't prevent infection in every case, therefore ditch vaccines and YOLO like before"?
Bear in mind that, in the case of measles, "before" meant a disease so common someone once quipped that catching it was as inevitable as death and taxes. You're saying a few deaths for the sake of bodily autonomy... is acceptable.
Nice strawman.
You're the one denying the effectiveness of vaccines, Chern, or am I wrong in reading your very words?
The Greater Ohio Valley
by The Greater Ohio Valley » Mon May 20, 2019 2:53 am
The Greater Ohio Valley wrote: I sense that you’d very likely change your tune really quick if there was another Spanish flu-level pandemic that killed hundreds of millions of people and the governments of the world mandated vaccination programs to stop it.
Why would you rather die along with hundreds of millions of others and allow the further spread of the pandemic instead of getting the vaccine that would prevent you and billions of others from dying and stop the spread of the pandemic?
Last edited by The Greater Ohio Valley on Mon May 20, 2019 2:55 am, edited 2 times in total.
27 year old pansexual H. sapien male who enjoys heavy metal and the classic PS1 Resident Evil games.
Hey, it's up to us to take out Umbrella.
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Political Compass
Highever
Founded: Dec 21, 2014
New York Times Democracy
by Highever » Mon May 20, 2019 2:55 am
The Greater Ohio Valley wrote:
Why would you rather die along with hundreds of millions of others instead of getting the vaccine that would prevent from dying?
Even hundreds of millions is probably a lowball number if something of the scale of the 1918 pandemic were to occur in the modern day.
ΦΣK
⚦ Through the souls of your brothers and sisters I take My place amongst the Three; through their pleasure I ascend my Throne. Pleasure, for Pleasure's sake! ⚦
Remember Bloody Sunday
Dante Alighieri wrote: There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery
Charlie Chaplin wrote: Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.
Highever wrote:
The Greater Ohio Valley wrote: Why would you rather die along with hundreds of millions of others instead of getting the vaccine that would prevent from dying?
I’m just throwing an estimate out there based on the 3-5% killed during 1918-19. I’m a bit dubious that an IRL disease could steamroll humanity more than that unless it’s some sort Plague Inc. level specifically evolved super disease.
Highever wrote: Even hundreds of millions is probably a lowball number if something of the scale of the 1918 pandemic were to occur in the modern day.
It has more to do with how interconnected the world is now and the ease of travel there is. It would spread far quicker than it did then and far more would be infected in a shorter span of time, especially in urban areas of South Korea, China, or India.
Greater vakolicci haven
Postmaster-General
Founded: May 09, 2014
by Greater vakolicci haven » Mon May 20, 2019 3:22 am
With me, it's a lack of concern for whether I live or die, and my belief that a massive global-level tragedy is necessary for the continued survival of the human race.
Greater vakolicci haven wrote:
The Greater Ohio Valley wrote: Why would you rather die along with hundreds of millions of others and allow the further spread of the pandemic instead of getting the vaccine that would prevent you and billions of others from dying and stop the spread of the pandemic?
You may have a death wish, but billions don't. Don't pass it on to us.
Thermodolia
Khan of Spam
by Thermodolia » Mon May 20, 2019 6:17 am
Thermodolia wrote: Actually it does. As it puts you at higher risk of catching a deadly disease
No it’s not a fallacy. You are pretty much an anti-vaxxer. You use the same language, terminology, and you refuse to believe that being unvaccinated is harmful.
You’re just mad I called you out on your bullshit
The FBI and CIA thanks you. Don’t worry I’m sure ADX Florence has something to entertain you
What? You think that only you can make outlandish claims? Have you seen what I’ve advocated?
1. No it doesn't, being infected and coming into contact with others does.
Which vaccines help prevent. How hard is this?
2. It is very much a fallacy. Or does this mean I can accuse all leftists of being Communists just because they make the same talking points for healthcare and other things?
Communists are leftists though. A leftist is one on the far left. And no it’s not the same because you are literally questioning vaccines.
''Ur just mad bro!'' Geez could you get anymore desperate?
Well you are.
3. Lol is the big bad socialist guy gonna report me to the popos now? Gee, I'm sooo scared! Yeah, pick a number and get in line.
What, you think that socialists don’t like authority like the police?
4. What outlandish claims have I made? I'm not the one thinking they can point guns at people's heads and force them to get vaccinated.
That vaccines don’t work for one, that unvaccinated people don’t cause harm, and that there’s nothing wrong with being anti-vaxx.
I’m not saying that I’d point a gun at people’s head. You said that. I said that those who refuse mandatory vaccination orders will be sent to jail.
My comment is in response to your call for an uprising against the government due to mandatory vaccinations
Male, centrist cultural nationalist, lives somewhere in the Deep South, loves dogs particularly German Shepherds, give me any good Irish or Scottish whiskey and I will be your friend for life. I'm GAY!
I'm agent #69 in the Gaystapo!
>The Sons of Adam: I'd crown myself monarch... cuz why not?
>>Dumb Ideologies: Why not turn yourself into a penguin and build an igloo at the centre of the Earth?
>Xovland: I keep getting ads for printer ink. Sometimes, when you get that feeling down there, you have to look at some steamy printer pictures.
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Thermodolia wrote:
I don’t give a fuck about what they feel
Cool, just don't bitch and call them terrorists when you meet armed resistance.
See this is what I mean by outlandish claims. And if you want a war I’ll give you one. The full might of the state vs a terrorist group. I wonder who will win.
Ah “libertarians” always destroying the thing they love the most because of their own stupidity.
by The Greater Ohio Valley » Mon May 20, 2019 7:36 pm
Greater vakolicci haven wrote: With me, it's a lack of concern for whether I live or die, and my belief that a massive global-level tragedy is necessary for the continued survival of the human race.
Hurtful Thoughts
Founded: Sep 09, 2005
Capitalist Paradise
by Hurtful Thoughts » Mon May 20, 2019 8:27 pm
When did the anti-vax movement become the Thanos initiative?
Last edited by Hurtful Thoughts on Mon May 20, 2019 8:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Factbook and general referance thread.
HOI <- Storefront (WiP)
Due to population-cuts, military-size currently being revised
The People's Republic of Hurtful Thoughts is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Leader with an even hand, and renowned for its compulsory military service, multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, and smutty television.
Mokostana wrote: See, Hurty cared not if the mission succeeded or not, as long as it was spectacular trainwreck. Sometimes that was the host Nation firing a SCUD into a hospital to destroy a foreign infection and accidentally sparking a rebellion... or accidentally starting the Mokan Drug War
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Founded: Antiquity
Inoffensive Centrist Democracy
by The Black Forrest » Mon May 20, 2019 8:54 pm
Ok Thanos.
*I am a master proofreader after I click Submit.
* There is actually a War on Christmas. But Christmas started it, with it's unparalleled aggression against the Thanksgiving Holiday, and now Christmas has seized much Lebensraum in November, and are pushing into October. The rest of us seek to repel these invaders, and push them back to the status quo ante bellum Black Friday border. -Trotskylvania
* Silence Is Golden But Duct Tape Is Silver.
* I felt like Ayn Rand cornered me at a party, and three minutes in I found my first objection to what she was saying, but she kept talking without interruption for ten more days. - Max Barry talking about Atlas Shrugged
Gormwood
Founded: Mar 25, 2019
by Gormwood » Mon May 20, 2019 8:58 pm
Anti-vaxxers target communities battling measles
MONSEY, N.Y. — In a suburban shopping center an hour north of New York City, hundreds of mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered in a sex-partitioned ballroom to hear leaders of the national anti-vaccine movement.
Sustained applause greeted Del Bigtree, a former television-producer-turned-activist who often wears a yellow star , similar to those required of Jews in Nazi Germany, to show solidarity with parents ordered to keep unvaccinated children at home.
Bigtree described the purported dangers of childhood vaccines in phrases that also conjured the Nazis.
“They have turned our children into the largest human experiment in history — all of history,” he said.
The turnout last week in this suburb hard hit by measles helps explain why New York has become ground zero in one of this country’s largest and longest-lasting measles outbreaks in nearly 30 years. Even in a religious community grappling with more than 700 cases in Rockland County and New York City since last fall — among them, children on oxygen in intensive-care units — anxious and confused parents said they came because they are afraid of vaccines and seeking guidance about what to do.
Ethan, a 36-year-old father of six from Queens who declined to give his last name, said he attended the event out of “a genuine concern” for his family, driven by his wife’s research into vaccines. She had read “a lot of literature” and watched Bigtree’s film, which accuses the government of covering up a purported link between the measles vaccine and autism — a tie repeatedly disproved by studies around the world involving hundreds of thousands of children.
As a result, Ethan said, measles frightened him far less than what Bigtree and others described as the toxic substances in vaccines.
“I love doctors,” Ethan said, but they have “blind obedience” to the vaccine schedule. “God gave us a wonderful, beautiful body that heals itself.”
State and national health officials say groups such as Bigtree’s are directly responsible for the measles outbreaks that struck Orthodox communities here and in New York City this year. Through an aggressive social media campaign, pamphleteering and traveling road shows that pop up in receptive and often insular communities, officials say, the anti-vaccine movement has produced pockets of unvaccinated children where the highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease can catch fire.
The groups’ claims are flatly contradicted by science, but their rhetoric has sent vaccination rates plummeting across the country, including among Eastern European immigrants outside Portland, Ore., the Somali community in Minnesota and ultra-Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, and here in Rockland County — all groups that have experienced recent outbreaks.
“This is a national movement of people who are nothing but charlatans, conspiracy theorists and people . . . spreading misinformation,” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day. “The type of propaganda they spread is a danger to the health and safety of children within our community and around the world.”
In many ways, vaccines are a victim of their own success. Years ago, people were intimately familiar with the suffering caused by diseases such as polio, whooping cough and measles. Today, they’ve been virtually eliminated — along with the memory of their terrible effects.
As a result, generations of parents have grown up “more likely to be scared of the vaccine than the disease,” said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “It’s very easy to appeal to those fears.”
The modern anti-vaccine movement began about 40 years ago in response to legitimate concerns about the side effects of a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine. But it has metastasized into something far darker in the echo chamber of Facebook chat rooms, WhatsApp and YouTube — especially against a backdrop of rising suspicion of elites, including drugmakers, doctors and public health officials.
Anti-vaccine activists have a rhetorical advantage: They speak with absolute certainty about frightening cases of so-called vaccine injuries based on changes parents say they observe in their children after getting shots.
Scientists and researchers, by contrast, rarely speak in absolutes. They say vaccines save countless lives, but like all medicines, have side effects — albeit rare ones. And they sometimes challenge what parents think they have seen with their own eyes by explaining that health problems such as autism often become apparent around the same time children are receiving multiple shots — even though there is no causal connection.
A reaction spurs a movement
The modern anti-vaccine movement began in 1980 with a heartbreak that propelled a Virginia mother into activism.
Several hours after her eldest son — then 2½ — got his fourth shot to prevent diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, Barbara Loe Fisher said she found him staring straight ahead as if he couldn’t see her. “When I called out his name, his eyelids fluttered, his eyes rolled back in his head, and his head fell to his shoulder,” she recalled.
Fisher has written on her website that her son suffered a convulsion, collapse and brain inflammation and grew up with multiple learning disabilities. After seeing a television special on possible dangers of the DPT vaccine, Fisher suspected a link to the vaccine.
At the time, the pertussis component of the vaccine was made with many more proteins than other childhood vaccines, and had a significant risk of side effects, including fever and in some cases, seizures. (The problem was corrected in newer versions of the vaccine.)
Fisher became a national advocate, warning parents about possible risks and working with Congress to craft legislation creating a vaccine compensation program and an improved vaccine monitoring system — one of several safety systems still in use.
Today, the National Vaccine Information Center in Sterling, Va., which she founded, is considered one of the most effective lobbyists for parental choice, combating efforts in New York and other states to make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children.
“We don’t tell people what to do,” Fisher said in a recent interview. “We support informed voluntary medical decisions that people make. We do not tell people to vaccinate or not to vaccinate.”
A discredited study's impact
In 1998, the Lancet, a respected British medical journal, published a paper that would cause the anti-vaccine movement to explode. The paper, by gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield and other authors, claimed to have found a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) and autism in eight children.
The paper was later found to be fraudulent. Wakefield’s fellow authors issued a retraction. So did the Lancet after an investigation by British medical authorities. Wakefield was stripped of his medical license after a panel concluded that he had financial and ethical conflicts of interest and had acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly.”
But the damage was done. MMR vaccination rates plunged in Britain, Ireland, the United States and other countries at a time of rising concern about autism diagnoses.
To many parents, Wakefield’s thesis seemed believable because symptoms of autism first appear when children are about 12 months old — the same age they receive their first MMR vaccine, said Alison Singer, a New York City mother with a severely autistic daughter.
“Up until Wakefield, no one had really put the two together,” said Singer, who now heads the Autism Science Foundation, which supports research into the condition’s causes.
Twenty-one studies since that Lancet study have found no relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism. The latest and largest, from Denmark, involved 657,461 Danish children born between 1999 and 2010.
In the intervening years, researchers have implicated genetic and environmental factors in autism, such as older fathers and infections during pregnancy. Scientists now believe that more than 100 genes affect an individual’s risk for autism, said Josh Gordon, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
“About 15 to 20 percent of people with diagnoses of autism can now be told by their doctors why they have it,” Gordon said.
Despite all the subsequent research, Wakefield’s discredited ideas have become firmly entrenched in anti-vaccine mythology.
“Once you put a scary thought in someone’s head, it’s very hard to get it out,” Singer said.
The notion that vaccines are implicated in autism and a host of other medical conditions is now championed by an increasingly organized anti-vaccine movement that includes at least a dozen national organizations and hundreds of Facebook groups, many of them private. Many cast themselves as promoting individual and parental rights and fighting government overreach — a cause that resonates with individuals across the political spectrum.
High-profile leaders such as Bigtree, founder of Informed Consent Action Network in Austin, and environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, crisscross the country railing against vaccine dangers and advocating for parental choice.
Bigtree, the son of a minister, is a charismatic speaker who draws large crowds at wellness conferences and state legislative hearings. A former daytime television producer for “The Doctors,” he said he became a vaccine safety advocate after hearing from so many aggrieved parents after partnering with Wakefield on a movie about Wakefield’s theories.
“The moment we began expanding the vaccination program, our health has been declining in our children,” Bigtree said recently on a weekly live show he distributes on Facebook and YouTube. For his HighWire show, he has about 140,000 Facebook followers and 44,000 YouTube subscribers.
Kennedy’s interest in vaccines grew out of his advocacy work on environmental pollutants. He accuses drugmakers of colluding with the health establishment to cover up vaccines’ alleged role in rising rates of a gamut of chronic diseases and even teen suicide — claims rejected by the American Academy of Pediatrics and virtually every leading health and science organization in the world.
In January 2017, Kennedy stunned the medical establishment by announcing that then-President-elect Trump had asked him to lead a commission looking at vaccines and autism — a subject Trump had mentioned repeatedly on the campaign trail.
But the White House never went forward with the commission. And last month, when U.S. measles cases reached a record high, Trump urged parents to “get the shots” for their children.
In an extraordinary public rebuke this month, three members of Kennedy’s family — including his brother, a former congressman, and his sister, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland — accused Kennedy of being “part of a misinformation campaign that’s having heartbreaking — and deadly — consequences.”
“We love Bobby. . . . We stand behind him in his ongoing fight to protect our environment,” they wrote. “However, on vaccines he is wrong.”
'One-way propaganda'
Most Americans continue to support immunizations, as evidenced by high national vaccination rates, but there are worrisome trends: The percentage of children younger than 2 who haven’t received any vaccinations, for instance, has quadrupled since 2001, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And in more than a dozen hot spots across the country, including the Seattle and Portland areas, which have had measles outbreaks, immunization rates have plunged as an increasing number of parents receive nonmedical exemptions to avoid having to give their children the shots, according to a study last year.
The link between places with low vaccination rates and measles outbreaks is clear: In some of Williamsburg’s yeshivas, for instance, up to 22 percent of children did not receive the MMR vaccine for religious reasons during the 2017-2018 school year, according to New York state data.
Anti-vaccine activists encourage that trend by arguing that the vaccine is potentially more dangerous than the disease.
At the Monsey forum, Rabbi Hillel Handler called resistance to measles shots a brave act. The virus, which once killed several hundred Americans every year, “is not a serious disease,” he said, asserting that those who battle it in childhood grow up stronger.
Public health officials are trying to fight back. They note that children who have recovered from measles are more susceptible to infections and are at risk for serious complications.
In the Brooklyn neighborhoods at the heart of the New York City outbreak, nurse practitioner Blima Marcus holds regular meetings with small groups of ultra-Orthodox women in their homes, spending hours answering their questions. As a member of the same Orthodox community, Marcus says it is easier for her to gain their trust.
Often, she said, the women are surprised by the scientific studies she brings that disprove links between the measles vaccine and autism. Afterward, some tell her they feel they’ve been “really misled.”
“These are insular women who are trying to do the best for their children,” Marcus said. “At the end of the day, I feel the majority of people who don’t vaccinate are the victims of a one-way propaganda machine.”
Anti-vaxxers gathering at the site of a measles outbreak. It's like scavengers flying over the dying.
Last edited by Gormwood on Mon May 20, 2019 8:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Most Hated Individual On NSG. It's a badge of honor.
Bloodthirsty savages who call for violence against the Right while simultaneously being unarmed defenseless sissies who will get slaughtered by the gun-toting Right in a civil war.
by Duhon » Mon May 20, 2019 9:33 pm
Duhon wrote: Arrest them. They might actually bring with them disease vectors, inanimate and otherwise. These malevolently stupid fuckwits.
by Hurtful Thoughts » Mon May 20, 2019 10:29 pm
Gormwood wrote: Anti-vaxxers target communities battling measles
In an extraordinary public rebuke this month, three members of Kennedy’s family — including his brother, a former congressman, and his sister, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland — accused Kennedy of being “part of a misinformation ­campaign that’s having heartbreaking — and deadly — consequences.”
Ahem:
Ravennog wrote:
Hurtful Thoughts wrote: ... wth?
Therm... no...
Anti-vaccination support groups and social events... they're a thing... and it totally undermines herd-immunity by creating a herd with 0% vaccinations and then spreading it around to other communities like some form of sapient weaponized biological terrorist cell.
Which is why cattle-brokers are forced to kill their entire herd when that happens.
Anti-vaxxer group and social events?
DISEASES 100
Me, Durhon, and Gorm are agreeing on something.
Consider that for a second.
Last edited by Hurtful Thoughts on Mon May 20, 2019 10:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
by Thermodolia » Thu May 23, 2019 3:31 pm
Those with Measles could be banned from flying in five US states
Personally I think we need a national ban and a restriction on people coming into the US with Measles like we did with Ebola
DARGLED
Democratic Socialists
by DARGLED » Thu May 23, 2019 3:55 pm
Get yourself and your children vaccinated or be quarantined permanently. That is how it should be. You do not have the right to endanger the lives of others.
EDIT: Andrew Wakefield should be executed for having started this antivax madness.
Last edited by DARGLED on Thu May 23, 2019 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Farnhamia
Game Moderator
Founded: Jun 20, 2006
by Farnhamia » Thu May 23, 2019 4:17 pm
DARGLED wrote: Get yourself and your children vaccinated or be quarantined permanently. That is how it should be. You do not have the right to endanger the lives of others.
No advocating death now, you wouldn't want to screw up your nice clean record.
Freedom ... or cake. ~ Ashmoria (RIP)
Make Earth Great Again: Stop Continental Drift!
And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water ...
"Make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody." RIP Don Rickles
My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right. ~ Carl Schurz
<Sigh> NSG...where even the atheists are Augustinians. ~ The Archregimancy
Now the foot is on the other hand ~ Kannap
RIP Dyakovo
Aclion
Founded: Apr 12, 2016
by Aclion » Thu May 23, 2019 4:19 pm
Thermodolia wrote: Those with Measles could be banned from flying in five US states
No, we can't stop people spreading pandemics. It's racist... or something.
A free society rests on four boxes: The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the ammo box.
XKI: Recruiter, TITO Knight
TEP: WA Executive Staff member
Forest: Cartographer
Oatland: Caesar, Cartographer
It is the citizen's duty to understand which box to use, and when.
by Hurtful Thoughts » Thu May 23, 2019 6:47 pm
Aclion wrote:
Well, if they're on the no-fly list... does this mean we gotta confiscate their guns, too?
Last edited by Hurtful Thoughts on Thu May 23, 2019 6:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chernoslavia
Powerbroker
Corporate Bordello
by Chernoslavia » Thu May 23, 2019 7:32 pm
1. Never said they did.
2. And so are liberals. Just because some fucking British guy somewhere has far-left ideals that doesn't just make liberals over here right wing. And I haven't questioned vaccines, I've questioned Duhon's false claim that it will guarantee to prevent measles and I haven't used that as an argument against being vaccinated.
3. Good, at least you don't pretend to be in support of individual freedom like other socialists do.
4. Then good thing I never said vaccines don't work, or anything about being anti-vax. And no being unvaccinated alone doesn't put anyone in danger.
What would things have been like if every security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive? Or if during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand? The Organs would quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin's thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt!
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
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Congress demands more openness from DOD on cloud
By Lauren C. Williams
Congress is taking a harder line with the Department of Defense over plans to migrate warfighting and business applications to the cloud.
The 2,500-page conference report to the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act released July 23 by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees aired concerns over transparency inside the Pentagon about its acquisition strategy.
"Although transparency and information sharing by the Department on the Cloud Initiative has slightly improved, it continues to be insufficient for conducting congressional oversight," conferees wrote in an explanatory statement accompanying the report. "The conferees expect the Department to improve communication with Congress on this issue and will consider additional legislation if an improvement is not seen."
The final compromise NDAA is expected to be released next week, as Congress races to get the defense bill approved before the November elections.
The report included several mandates for the DOD CIO, including the production of a report outlining its cloud strategies and the overall impact the controversial Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure program will have on existing networks.
The conference report requested DOD outline its cloud initiatives and strategy for how it will manage networks, data centers and cloud environments at the enterprise level, including completion status within 90 days of the 2019 bill’s passage.
The report also sought clarification on the paused Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure acquisition, a high-profile cloud effort recently reassigned to the control of OCIO. It called for answers on how the program will be implemented and its effects on existing cloud infrastructure, platform and service contracts across the organization, particularly the Defense Information Systems Agency’s MilCloud 2.0.
Lawmakers stressed that they wanted an approach that would support competition as spelled out in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and detailed infrastructure upgrades to support application migration. The conference report also specified that cloud solutions accommodate the movement of data and applications among different cloud providers.
The language echoed demands made by House appropriators in the $675 billion funding bill passed in late June.
Lauren C. Williams is a staff writer at FCW covering defense and cybersecurity.
Prior to joining FCW, Williams was the tech reporter for ThinkProgress, where she covered everything from internet culture to national security issues. In past positions, Williams covered health care, politics and crime for various publications, including The Seattle Times.
Williams graduated with a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware. She can be contacted at lwilliams@fcw.com, or follow her on Twitter @lalaurenista.
Click here for previous articles by Wiliams.
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Macbeth Needs Your Money!
Filed under: Talking Theatre — Fergal Casey @ 11:20 pm
Tags: Ashes to Ashes, Boys School, Bram Stoker, Bram Stoker Festival, Buckingham, Cait Corkery, Caoimhe Murphy, Carol Conway, Claire Jenkins, Conor Marren, Culture Night, Dracula, Dublin Castle, Family Voices, Fast Intent, Finbarr Doyle, fundit.ie, Geoffrey Rush, Gerard Adlum, Hamlet, Jamie Hallahan, Jean Anouilh, Jennifer Laverty, Katie McCann, Keith Thompson, King Lear, Kyle Hixon, Lady Macbeth, Lady MacDuff, Laertes, Macbeth, Nessa Mathews, New Theatre, One for the Road, Patrick Doyle, Polonius, Richard II, Richard III, Roland Emmerich Movie, Sarah Finlay, Shakespeare by Candelight, Shakespeare in Love, Smock Alley, The Complex, The Globe, The Lark, William Shakespeare
Do you want to fund an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of a production of Macbeth in Shakespeare’s Globe in Smock Alley? Then click on this link,http://fundit.ie/project/macbeth-1, and take your own tiny step towards being Geoffrey Rush in Shakespeare in Love – “Who are you?” “Ah, well, I’m the money”…
For two weeks in January theatre troupe Fast Intent will convert the atmospheric Smock Alley Boys School space into a traditional Elizabethan Playhouse, a theatre of the type that Shakespeare himself would have recognised. In this heaving indoor cauldron; complete with Shakespeare’s favourite trouble-makers, rowdy groundlings who stand rather than sit because their tickets cost so little; they will present one of Shakespeare’s greatest and most thrilling plays – the brilliantly bloody Macbeth. Taking inspiration from research into Elizabethan and Jacobean staging practices they promise an engaging, thrilling experience, full of blood and guts, swords and shields, raucous crowds and high drama. Playing the power couple to avoid like the plague in medieval Scotland are Gerard Adlum (as Macbeth) and Jennifer Laverty (as Lady M), who both greatly impressed in previous Fast Intent production The Lark. Finbarr Doyle is the vengeful MacDuff, and the ensemble includes Patrick Doyle (fresh from his brilliant Harker in Fast Intent’s recent Dracula), Katie McCann, Conor Marren, Kyle Hixon,Claire Jenkins, and Jamie Hallahan. The set design is by Cait Corkery, and other crew members include Carol Conway and Caoimhe Murphy.
So why fund Macbeth? Star Gerard Adlum explains the appeal of the Thane thus: “He may not have Hamlet’s education, or Richard II’s eloquence, but Macbeth has a dextrous grasp of language and expresses himself with the ease of a poet, though his thoughts are never easy. Left to his own devices he deals in metaphors and similes, as if he desperately needs the audience to know that he is not a thug, not a brute. The challenge for the actor is not to prove his strength but to reveal his innate vulnerability.” For Adlum Macbeth’s key line of self-justification is ‘Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill’ – “This is the unfortunate logic that drives him on; two wrongs will eventually make a right.” Director Keith Thompson, a sometime co-writer and co-director hereabouts, has previously helmed productions of Richard III and Hamlet; the former starring Adlum as Buckingham. “I have wanted to direct Macbeth for years. It is both incredibly simple and complex. Complex in that it seems to cram into two hours the entire gamut of human emotions: love, hope, fear, desire, greed, guilt, loss. At the same time its speed and simplicity means there is no time to stop and think. Everything is truly experienced in the moment. It lends itself to constant re-interpretation, having something to say for each and every generation. It is human, raw and very, very messy.” Thompson finds Lady MacDuff’s line ‘but I remember I am in this earthly world where to do harm is often laudable, to do good sometime accounted dangerous folly’ “incredibly relevant to the world we are currently living in, where apathy is our common discourse and greed often not just considered lawful, but admirable. It shows that though this may have always been the case, there are always people who will identify it and struggle against it.”
So, that’s what they have to say. So why do I say to you fund Macbeth? Well, I’ve already thrown money at it because this is Fast Intent doing Macbeth. Fast Intent consistently pare back plays to their bare bones, and focus the audience’s energy onto the performances and the text. When it worked with Dracula it brought Stoker’s best prose to vivid, sensuous life. In The Lark it aided Anouilh’s theological ideas to sparkle across the stage, with real emotions grounding them in reality. And this is a cast that has proven itself at Shakespeare at a young age. While still in college Finbarr Doyle played Richard III with gleeful malevolence, Patrick Doyle played Macbeth with striking originality as distracted by visions, and Gerard Adlum played Lear with a startling maturity for such a young actor. But having a great cast is only one competent here. The key to successfully staging Shakespeare is not being afraid to cut his words. Reverence before his text too often is simply fear and trembling before the Bard rather than awe; and the result is a slow untheatrical death. But you need to have a confidence bordering on chutzpah to do the needful sometimes and meddle with the sacred scriptures. Keith Thompson, directing Hamlet in 2012, cut Polonius’ advice to Laertes, in its entirety, because he wanted a more serious Polonius. So, yeah, he has the confidence to pull this off bustling take…
Fast Intent’s goal is to raise €3,500, which will cover about half of the production costs; including costumes and hiring the venue – Smock Alley’s Boys School. The other half of the budget will consist of sponsorship from local businesses and by hosting various fundraising events. The contribution of Fundit donors is thus vital to the successful realisation of Macbeth. Fast Intent was established in 2011 by Sarah Finlay, Ger Adlum, Nessa Matthews and Keith Thompson. Their theatrical work to date has included acclaimed productions of Harold Pinter’s Ashes to Ashes (The Complex), Family Voices and One for the Road (both New Theatre) and The Lark by Jean Anouilh (Smock Alley). 2013 has seen them producing an entire body of work for Dublin Castle’s cultural programme, including historical monologue pieces for Culture Night, an adaptation of Dracula for the Bram Stoker Festival and the just gone Christmas show, Shakespeare by Candlelight. Rewards for funding at various levels are set out on the website, where the company also expresses its desire to have you asone of their “dearest partners of greatness”.
Go on, dream of sound and fury, and click http://fundit.ie/project/macbeth-1
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Too Cool for Film School
Tags: 1984, Beverly Hills Cop, Broadway Danny Rose, Charles Dickens, Die Hard, Dune, Emma Watson, Ghostbusters, Goodfellas, Gremlins, Hipster, Hollywood Babylon, Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, Jay Baruchel, Martin Scorsese, Netflix, New York New York, Purple Rain, Red Dawn, Revenge of the Nerds, Southern Comfort, Streets of Fire, Subway, The Killing Fields, The Lighthouse, The Natural, The Terminator, This is The End, Too Cool for Film School
There’s a certain attitude towards cinema which drives me to despair, which I’ve previously dubbed ‘too cool for film school’…
This peculiar mindset is one that would rather watch an obscure bad movie ironically than spend that same 2 hours watching a universally lauded good movie. So, instead of sitting down to watch Southern Comfort you’d instead waste your life suffering thru Streets of Fire. Instead of enjoying Scorsese at his best with Goodfellas you’d be tortured by Scorsese at his worst with New York, New York, supposedly so that you could spend your time laughing at its awfulness (except that it’s too awful to even sneer at, you just sigh; depressed and confused). Preferring to watch an obscure bad movie ironically than a universally lauded good movie I find inexplicable. It’s the same impulse that would en masse see a faculty meeting to decide a Victorian literature course begin with “We can all agree, no Dickens”, and a cheer.
Is it a hipster mindset? This is The End has a wonderful barb when Emma Watson accuses Jay Baruchel of being a hipster by asking him if he loathes films that are universally beloved. And that is certainly part of the thinking that prevailed when the Screen cinema in 2010 did a season of 1980s action movies, and left out Die Hard. Now Die Hard was an obvious choice, but that’s because it’s so obviously better than every other action film from that decade; especially Red Dawn, which was screened, presumably because it’s so bad it can be watched with impeccable irony. We seem to have reached belatedly in the cinema the position literature reached years ago where to be popular is in fact a mark against a work in critical esteem, unless it’s a critical intervention elevating low culture.
It’s a mindset of two halves. What is important is that, having eschewed what is popular, the people who are too cool for film school reveal their superiority of taste to the easily pleased and shallowly-informed rabble by unveiling an alternative which few people have either heard of and which may be offbeat or just plain awful. What’s truly terrifying is that it really doesn’t matter whether the film is either offbeat or just plain awful – the difference between good and bad, garbage and quality has been erased; it just needs to be something that few people have either heard of in order to get the kudos of really knowing your movies. It seems the advent of Netflix, and its padding of its catalogue with terrible old films they were able to scoop up, is only encouraging this viewing mindset.
Hollywood Babylon, Dublin’s Midnight Movie Film Club, is tonight once again hosting a Saturday night screening at 10:45pm at the Lighthouse cinema focusing on 1984. Their schedule is somewhat baffling. There’s good movies to be sure; Beverly Hills Cop, Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom (September 14th), The Terminator (October 19th); but there are also questionable choices; Dune (August 17th), Revenge of the Nerds (July 13th); and then there’s the plain ghastly picks – Purple Rain, Streets of Fire (October 19th). What exactly is the purpose of choosing Purple Rain or Streets of Fire? Or even Dune or Revenge of the Nerds? There are better films from 1984… For a fun Saturday night why not pick Ghostbusters or Gremlins? For something more offbeat why not pick Luc Besson’s freewheeling debut Subway? Is it impossible to have fun without being ironic?
I’m not saying that if we want to watch movies from 1984 that we have to watch The Killing Fields, The Natural, and 1984 and nod our heads respectfully before turning to Broadway Danny Rose for some relief. I’m just saying we should exhaust the good movies that we all know are out there first before we all start scrabbling around to find justifiably forgotten bad movies to watch ironically.
Red Dawn Remake Reignites Korean War
Filed under: Talking Movies,Talking Nonsense — Fergal Casey @ 1:14 pm
Tags: B Bradley Bradlee, Chris Hemsworth, David Mamet, Die Emmerich Uhr, Kim Jong-Un, Mad Men, MASH, North Korea, Raging Bull, Red Dawn, Rick Santorum, Roland Emmerich Movie, Thor, Wag the Dog, Will Yun Lee
Red Dawn sat on the shelf for three years as the studio worried that its replacing of the original Soviet villains with Chinese villains would hurt it in the Chinese market. Little did they suspect their ingenious post-production fix would reignite the Korean War writes B. Bradley Bradlee from Pyongyang.
This horse is confirmed by three deep background sources to have worked on The Hobbit films as a saboteur for North Korean intelligence.
The evil empire of Soviet Russia never once held the same importance as somewhat Communist China does now when it comes to overseas box-office receipts for the American film industry. So it was that the studio behind the remake of Red Dawn, regularly cited as one of the top 5 films of the 1980s alongside Raging Bull, decided to use extensive CGI to convert the film’s invading Chinese army into an invading North Korean army. Sources refused to comment on whether the marketing department planned to use even more extensive CGI to convince Chinese cinemagoers this CGI villain-swap-out never happened.
But now that Red Dawn (2013) has finally been released in overseas territories around the world it has had the unexpected effect of reigniting the Korean War. Since M*A*S*H ended its run in 1983 the conflict has been justly dubbed the forgotten war, and, bar a flurry of interest around the time of the season one finale of Mad Men, has not troubled the public imagination until the recent reminder that the War never officially ended – an armistice had just put it on permanent suspension; not unlike the dormant 2012 Campaign of Rick Santorum for the Republican Nomination for President.
Little is known for sure about Kim Jong-Un’s character or his foreign policy intentions, but a number of recent off the record comments from former classmates at his elite Swiss school suggest an ironic love of bombastic action movies. This must make us fear the worst according to a senior analyst at the FBI who specialises in cinematic cliché. Clearly Kim Jong-Un has seen the remake of Red Dawn, and, inspired by the film’s first act depiction of an invasion so successful that Washington DC cedes Washington State to North Korea, has ramped up the rhetoric on the international stage.
He does so with an ace up his sleeve, derived from his father’s complete collection of David Mamet-scripted films. Kim, inspired by 1998’s satire Wag the Dog, obviously intends to convince his people that they have successfully attacked mainland America by screening selected scenes from Red Dawn on state television as news footage of their invasion. Recurring Hawaii Five-O guest star Will Yun Lee will be hailed as a great hero of the North Korean people. There can be no doubt that Kim is counting on his people’s ignorance of Chris Hemsworth’s career. He did not suppress Thor for nothing…
B. Bradley Bradlee is the fictional editor of The New York Times. This article was first published in the weekly German magazine Die Emmerich Uhr.
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Aaron K
How to submit Title Change? (Year change only)
Chico & Rita is a Spanish production and received its first premiere and wide release in its native country on February 23 and 25th, 2011...
Aaron K, 3 years ago
Last reply: Aaron K, 3 years ago
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Learning By Playing – 2
Common wisdom says that the post-MTV generation needs constant and elevated levels of stimulation. But this generation can more appropriately be called the digital generation. Children today develop skills and capabilities compatible with constant exposure to computers and computer games, digital TV, DVDs, and iPods. For several years now, the technology-based learning and multimedia industry have invested many R+D hours and resources in video, rich media and game-based activities. Innovative education researchers have also realised the learning potential of computer games.
Whereas previously a game was used as a way of enticing students into a learning space, now the real learning potential of these games are being seriously explored. E-learning companies and ICT researchers once concentrated on the power of the technology itself but what really interests researchers of educational games is the interaction between the player and the context of technology. Researchers at the Centre for Society, Technology and Media (http://www.stem.dcu.ieSTeM) in DCU and research/group.php?id=4Media Lab Europe in the Digital Hub are looking into the very nature of play and the Centre for Research in IT in Education in TCD recently showcased their work – see http://www.cs.tcd.ie/research_groups/crite/this link). Game researchers are exploring the dynamics of complex player-game relationships. They are finding that there needs to be new definitions of learning in the digital age, as there are greater transformations in both player and the game environment than ever before during the act of play.
Multimedia educators and researchers build upon the work of Howard Gardner, who proposed in his theory of multiple intelligences that learners see the world in different ways when they engage in an educational activity. Each person has an individual scale of talent across these intelligences, some scoring higher on verbal ability, others on mathematical, or visual intelligences. Using various platforms and formats allows a greater number of students to choose the medium they want to use. Rich media computer games provide the necessary range across all these intelligences.
One challenge for the commercial sector is to maximise the power of play for certain types of content that suit this delivery. "There is a wide range of content that can be used successfully in game-based education," says Tony Kelly from Intel, whose R+D group worked on games concepts for the educational website www.skoool.co.uk, the British precursor to www.skoool.ie. "But it works best for adaptive learning systems, where students must figure things out while the game changes to suit their level of understanding. It doesn’t suit rote-learning." Kelly maintains that many in the educational software industry use the fact that people often learn despite themselves, in what is referred to by the new phrase du jour as ‘learning by stealth.’ "The trick is that the educational component is tied up in the story," Kelly says, and he picks out Hungry Red Planet, a nutritional game by Health Media Lab for special mention as a great example, as well the old favourite Civilisation.
James Gee, author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy has referred to ‘stealth’ learning as "an activity where the learners are so caught up in their goals that they don’t realise they are learning, or how much they are learning, or where they actively seek new learning." The implication is that children learn by having fun and not realising the learning objectives. For example, in Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, the player learns history and geography in the process of being a detective searching for a missing person.
Stealth learning gets bad press, however. Among the charges are that it is a delusion which goes against accepted educational goals like reflexivity, and taking responsibility for learning. Shouldn’t learners be aware that they’re learning even when they’re having fun?
Peter Mee, CEO of Meedja Ltd., is unclear as to how exactly you could "con" someone into learning. "It’s a matter of perspective. If something is packaged and marketed as e-learning or training, I don’t see how it could be learning by stealth. Yes, gaming techniques may be used but this simply makes the material more palatable to the end user."
Another challenge for commercial development is that educational software tends to have a very modest production and marketing budget by comparison with the games industry. Meedja is currently developing an interactive 3D movie studio for 7-14 year olds with open architecture, based on the concept of "digital play". It provides many of the tools available in a real movie or TV studio such as adjustable cameras, lighting, scenery, and props and players can make their own animated 3D movies. On a question of market scale, Meedja can’t compete with movies and games. "The educational sector in Ireland is not large enough to support serious software development in this area", says Mee. "Teachers at primary and secondary level often bemoan the lack of Irish produced software for their sector but the reality is that it’s not commercially viable to produce quality software tailored to the Irish curriculum." Another aproach is pursued by DCU’s prospective/deginfo.php?classname=GEMMSc in Education and Training Management which trains teachers to program their own software to use in classrooms, including games.
There appears be common ground here though between the goals of entertainment and education. Intelligently designed games where learning is an integral part of the game has been part of computer games for a long time (such as Civilisation, mentioned above). Anyone who saw Ernest Adams give his lecture to the inauguration of the Irish chapter of the http://www.igda.org/ireland/International Game Developers Association(IGDA) last January will also remember how passionately he argued for more thought to be placed into game concept design. On the other side, as researchers understand more about the social and cognitive gains of playing games, there is more of an onus on teachers and educators to use games as part of their overall lesson plan, rather than wait for a magic bullet software or platform application that can be used as a centre point to every subject.
The bottom line is schoolroom technology like edutainment and electronic whiteboards are an important motivational tool and, lets face it, anything that injects more fun into maths or science is no bad thing. Collaborative ICT projects like terminalfour/SIPManager?descID=84Wired for Learning and the prospective/deginfo.php?classname=GEMMSc in Education and Training Management shown great student interest. But motivation is just one small part of the learning experience and there shouldn’t be an assumption that everyone dislikes the learning process. Broadly speaking, everyone likes to learn. It’s the subject and the way the subject is presented that turns students off. Education researchers must now focus on the multi-layered and fascinating new ways that ‘the digital generation’ acquire knowledge, ways that we haven’t thought about until now and, what’s more, ways of having fun doing it.
Padraig Murphy is currently doing doctoral research on science and technology education as part of the BioSciences and Society Group at DCU. Previously he was content development manager for an e-learning company.
Gros, B. 2003. The impact of digital games in education. First Monday. [Online]
Available from:http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue8_7/xyzgros/http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue8_7/xyzgros/
Gee, J. 2003. What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave: Macmillan
Jenkins, H. 2004. Look, listen, walk. Available from:
articles/04/04/wo_jenkins040204.asparticles/04/04/wo_jenkins040204.asp
Lev Vygotsky: http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~eusher/quotes/vygotsky.htmlhttp://userwww.service.emory.edu/~eusher/quotes/vygotsky.html
US sites:
MIT Games-to-teach programme: http://www.educationarcade.org/gtt/http://www.educationarcade.org/gtt/
Marc Prensky website: writing/default.aspwriting/default.asp
Social Impact Games:
Irish sites:
Meedja Ltd. URL: www.meedja.com
mailto:info@meedja.cominfo@meedja.com
CRITE: http://www.cs.tcd.ie/research_groups/crite/http://www.cs.tcd.ie/research_groups/crite/
Media Lab Europe: research/group.php?id=4research/group.php?id=4
Centre for Science, Technology and Media (SteM) http://www.stem.dcu.ie/www.stem.dcu.ie
MSc in Education and Training prospective/deginfo.php?classname=GEMprospective/deginfo.php?classname=GEM
Schools Integration Project and Wired for Learning
terminalfour/SIPManager?descID=84#terminalfour/SIPManager?descID=84#
← Creative Writing Workshop – 2 European Games Network Trade Show →
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Review Of Galway Games Conference – 2
Star Cave Studios. Galway, hosted the event, which was specifically designed to promote game development in Galway and throughout Ireland in general. The event boasted a rich array of speakers. Keith Killilea of Starcave kicked things off when he presented a video of Starcave’s latest project “Camelot Galway – City of The Tribes”. This video can now be downloaded from the following location: video.zip video.zip (41 MB .zip file)
The team behind the project was then introduced. Ray Montey an artist at Starcave demonstrated the process used to create characters and other world objects from concept art to finished 3D. Programmer Pearse Fitzpatrick provided details of the team’s experience working with the Torque Engine, from Garage Games, and the methods used to integrate content into the engine.
Alan Duggan of Nephin Games then took to the podium and introduced his upcoming mobile game Kick Boxing Network – KBN. Alan also spoke about how the majority of phone owners have similar phone models and the necessity to build games for that market. Alan also pointed out that thirty something females are the biggest market demographic when it comes to downloadable mobile games. Claire Fitch, sitting in the audience looked suitably relieved. Alan went on to speak about his experience of the recent trade mission to Korea and offered encouragement to budding mobile game designers in the audience by stating that Ireland was not as far behind Korea, technologically, as one might think.
Next there was an energetic presentation from Hewlett Packard that looked at how different individual marketing trends merge to create new trends and patterns such as infotainment. Game developers were urged to focus on niche markets and praise was given to Starcave Studios for pursuing tourism and educational markets.
Then came the big surprise of the day when the deputy Mayor of Galway exposed himself to be an avid gamer with a lack of free-time…but the shocks didn’t stop there. The deputy mayor went on to reveal that he was once a former game developer, having successfully developed a Commodore 64 game that he later went on to sell, although the deputy mayor would not say for how much.
Michael Kenna from Enterprise Ireland gave a positive overview of the recent Trade Mission to Korea. He highlighted the differences between the Irish and Korean games industries including that fact that Ireland has 21 known game developers in Ireland while Korea has 2,500. Michael also talked about the popularity of online gaming in the region. In addition, Michael discussed the need to set up clusters of talent here and for game development studios to work together.
Jackey O’Dwyer, an investor from Galway, talked briefly about her role in the funding of the development of Camelot Galway and also on the importance of putting a games-centric investor forum together. NUIG presented a virtual space for the students including a study space, message boards and social / recreational areas.
Finally, Neil Leyden, Chairman of the Digital Media Forum rounded up proceedings nicely with a well-crafted and entertaining presentation on the crossovers between the film and the games industries in Ireland. He also discussed section 481 and suggested ways that the games industry might go about obtaining it. Also in attendance were representatives of the Chamber of Commerce of Ireland and Ireland West Tourism.
← Christmas Shindig (Weekend) – 2 Closing Date For Digital Media Awards →
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Horrible Kellie Leitch is Horrible
Many people consider that the defining moment of last year’s Canadian Federal election was when the Conservatives rolled out a scheme to set up a “barbaric cultural practices” snitch line, where people could report on their neighbours. The idea was heavily rejected, and is thought to have been a factor in one of the MPs who made the announcement, Chris Alexander, losing his seat. The other MP who made the announcement, Kellie Leitch managed to hang on to her seat, but was contrite about her role in the announcement after the election.
Then she started running for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Apparently her team learned absolutely nothing, because they sent out a survey to their supporters asking if Canada should screen potential immigrants for “antiCanadian values”.
Here’s my take:
In 1786 in the aftermath of the American Revolution, Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe invited Mennonites and Quakers to come and settle in Canada on the promise of exemption from military service. As pacifists, it was thought they would make good settlers, who wouldn’t revolt against the Crown.
Fast forward to 1922 when the Canadian government banned Mennonites, Hutterites and Doukobours from immigrating to Canada, because as pacifists, their beliefs were considered contrary to Canadian values.
This is why you don’t let governments define what “antiCanadian values” are.
ETA: Forgot to put in an article link before.
Kellie Leitch asks supporters if we should screen immigrants for cultural values | CBC News
Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch is asking whether the federal government should…
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Win, Win
Nov. 6th, 2011 at 11:10 PM
Life is magical and full of joy!
Two sweet victories today for my NFL stalwarts.
New York Jets 27
Buffalo Bills 11
New York Giants 24
New England Patriots 20
In the morning game, Gang Green thoroughly whupped the Buffalo Bills. They've been doing that for a few years now, but this year's Buffalo squad was supposedly to be different, and had the home field advantage besides, so I was anxious about this one. And the first half made me nervous, I must admit. The Jets were shutting down the Bills, driving up and down the field, and dominating the time of possession... but none of that was translating to points on the board. That situation ALWAYS makes me nervous. Ten minute, eighty yard drives are well and good, but unless they end in a TD or at least a FG, they count for nothing, and in the NFL the worm can turn at any moment. The Jets enjoyed a 3-0 lead at halftime, not nearly enough considering how they'd owned the half.
Thankfully, the second half was a different story. The D stayed tough, and Mark Sanchez and the offense finally started finishing some drives with scores. Buffalo's last hope expired when Gang Green's defense stopped them on fourth and inches late in the fourth quarter. This victory belonged to Rex's defense, I thought... but Plaxico Burress deserves some kudos as well. Plax has really been coming on these past two games.
The Giants/ Pats game, in contrast, was a real nail-biter. Not the crispest game ever played, no. Both teams committed way too many ghastly turnovers and way too many costly penalties. But you can't say it wasn't exciting, especially the second half.
The first half featured even less scoring than the Jets game, and halftime ended in a 0-0 tie when the Patriots blew a chance to tack on a late field. The G-Men looking like they were taking control in the third quarter, and seemed on the point of pulling away to a two score lead when they had second and goal from the 2 yard line... until an inexcusable delay of game penalty pushed them back five yards. The Eli threw a horrible interception in the end zone, and that worm I mentioned up above turned with a vengeance. Tom Brady drove the length of the field, and instead of being up 17-3, Big Blue found itself in a 10-10 tie.
Then things really got exciting. As the clock wound down, the game took on an eerie similarity to the Giants/ Patriots Superbowl. The Pats took their first lead with a FG, but Eli and the Giants answered, and Eli tossed a TD to Mario Manningham in the corner of the endzone... the same corner where Plaxico Burress caught the winning TD in Superbowl 42. That made the score 17-13; the final score in the Superbowl was 17-14. Echoes, indeed.
Only... when Plaxico caught that TD, there were only 39 seconds left on the clock. Not enough time for Tom Brady to work a miracle (though, damn, he came close on that one long pass). This time, Manningham caught the go-ahead TD with 3 minutes left on the clock. When I saw that, I broke off my cheering long enough to turn to Parris with a frown. "Too much time," I said. "They left Brady with too much time." And then Manningham compounded the situation by getting flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for taunting the Pats defender, a truly bone-headed move, since it gave the Pats great field position after the kickoff.
And sure enough, Brady wasted no time in taking the Patriots right down into the red zone. But maybe he should have wasted some time... when he threw a fourth-down TD to his tight end, to put the Patriots up 20-17, there was still a minute and a half left. "Too much time," I said said. "They left Eli too much time. We have a chance."
And we did. The closing seconds stopped my heart a couple of time, and REALLY brought back that old SuperBowl deja vu. An incredible catch by the new Giants tight end Jake Ballard (who has made me forget all about Kevin Boss) reminded me of the Tyree miracle catch, and when Ballard caught the winning TD with seconds left, it was once again in the same corner of the endzone where Plax made his catch.
And this time they only left Tom Brady fifteen seconds.
This was a big, big victory for the Giants. The Patriots had not lost at Foxboro since Calvin Coolidge was in the White Hosue, I think. And the G-Men did it without Ahmad Bradshaw, their best running back, or Hakeem Nicks, their best wideout. But Brandon Jacobs ran like the old Brandon Jacobs, and Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard stepped up big time. I love these guys. Both of them came out of noweher, but they come up big in crunch time.
So the Giants maintain their two-game lead in the NFC East. Now all they have to do is do it again next week... and the week after... and the week after that... and the week after THAT... and... well, the schedule is a meatgrinder, no doubt, but I'll worry about that later. Right now I'll just enjoy this win.
As for the Jets... they're now in a three-way tie for the lead in the AFC East, and next week they get the Patriots at home. Should be intensev.
Current Mood: ecstatic
( 29 comments )
Awet M
If Randy Moss didn't have alligator arms, he would've caught that long pass from Brady. Tsk.
Link | Frozen | Thread
danbuter1
I'm always happy when someone beats the Pats! It was a great game. Major kudos to the Giants.
I did want the Bills to win, though. Mainly because it's been so, so long since they made it to the playoffs and the Jets choke too often for me to want to see them make it again.
smofbabe
Thanks for beating the Patriots at home - congrats on a close win. But you didn't mention the biggest NFL story of the day: the Dolphins finally won a game :->
Yes... and by doing so, they may have cost themselves Andrew Luck.
nycfalcon
The Dolphins aren't the worst team and in the NFL and their remaining schedule isn't grueling. I think they are going to win a game or two more. I don't think they would have 'won' the number one pick.
kongoagon
C'mon Peyton Manning, get well soon!
confused_3l
Fins could still get Luck-y
I doubt it. Indianapolis won't draft Luck, with Peyton Manning still enjoying demigod status there, and probably having at least 5 years of FB left. Well, they might draft him and trade him for a King's Ransom, but either way Miami's in the running.
Well, hopefully not - does mean I have to hold my nose and root for the Colts to win at least one more than we do.
venardhi
You have a week to enjoy that sweet taste of victory.
The Niners are up next, and I don't think they're quite ready to give up this streak.
sistercrow
I really don't like football (to put it mildly). But I read most of your football posts. You know you're a great writer when you can get me to read your football posts, just because you wrote them.
pulvatory
Association football would drive you crazy
> The Jets were shutting down the Bills, driving up and down the field, and dominating the time of possession... but none of that was translating to points on the board. That situation ALWAYS makes me nervous.
I don't think you'd enjoy watching association football. One team dribbles across the field, passing the ball with the grace of dancers, but hit the post more often than the net. In the end, they get counter-attacked, someone in defense makes a mistake and they end-up losing. It would probably drive you crazy.
starfishchick
My favourite part of either game was Sanchez getting the holding call after lining up as a receiver on the wildcat play. Hilarious.
pilgrim23
life is meaningless and full of pain. -plymouth, ma
indigofan
Yeah, I'm with you. That just sucked.
I mean, Grats to the Giants and all that, but...
::grumble::
krtwood
I haven't decided whether Eli is just a lucky bastard or he was actually trying to get those pass interference calls throwing the ball short into the defender. A true Lannister move.
Carl Terwilliger
The Giants played well and I think they have solid momentum moving into San Francisco. That game is gonna be tough and then the Eagles. Im looking forward to the rematch. And I have to speak about Mark. You must've seen, well Im not sure what to call it, a shimmy/hold when he lined up wide lol. Classic...
And to add. I'm one of the lucky few who ordered A Dance with Dragons from Subterranean Press. So ecstatic, waking up everyday at 7am checking the email since October. Even glimpsing spoilers. Still, I feel like I'm in an exclusive club. Thanks!
bluekard
Go Big Blue!
The Giants win was indeed sweet and you are very correct in noting the resemblance to Super Bowl XLII. Say what you will about Eli, and I constantly feel gnawing worm of anxiety whenever he throws off of his back foot, I would never bet against him in the 4th quarter against the Pats.
It is a glorious day...now on the San Francisco!
boskier
I'm glad you're happy with football
My crimson tide let me down. Hopefully I got a copy of the illustrated Dance with Dragons on time. I don't think I could handle two big defeats in one weekend.
lithlyrian
The first thing I said to my husband after the Giants won (we are a Giants home, too) was "George RR Martin is smiling right now!" haha
Go Blue!!
kayyymen
God I hate the patriots! Congrats on the win *update*. Next week you got the 49'ers, my favorite team, and they are really hot *us* at the moment: they've won their last 6 games! *on winds* So that's going to one exciting match up I am definitely looking *of winter* forward to!!!
dray_prescot
My Chiefs gave Matt Moore enough time in the pocket to look like the second coming of Dan Marino. In fact, Marino's grandmother could have made those pass completions.
The Chiefs are the Jekyl and Hyde of the NFL this season.
Fantastic post George. It made me relive the games.
Next weeks Jets/Pats game is definitely going to be intense. Three losses in a row for Brady and Bill? Talk about a tall order.
I have never felt he was a great QB and I still don't think he's an elite one. I guess he's the equivalent to Phil Simms (I'd still pick Phil). But, he has proven to be good enough. Good enough to beat the best.
As I was watching the Giants game I kept thinking about Eli's comments. They may have mentioned it once or twice.
I remembered that Ernie Accorsi said he liked Eli's intangibles. A quick search led me to your 'favorite' books.google and this excerpt from the book "Eli Manning: the Making of a Quarterback" By Ralph Vacchiano, Ernie Accorsi. "You can call it anything you want -- intangible, magic. But he's got to have some quality that you feel. And it's different than other position because the quarterback position is so different. Athleticism is important, there's no question about it, but the magic to me is more important."
Eli definitely has some magic dust floating around him. That and he's apparently extremely diligent in improving as a QB and is a tough cookie.
coscaram
As a Pats fan, I can bemoan their terrible play. However, I also have to give credit, where it is due. The Giants were missing several key players and were still able to grind out a tough win. I owe Mr. Manning an apology, for wisecracks I made, earlier in the season.
The Jets showed, once again, that Rex Ryan and his staff have some of the best minds, in football. Each week they find key matchups and exploit them.
stark_winter
Nope.. Life is misererable and full of pain!
As a Crimson Tide fan and a Steelers fan, this weekend probably contained the two worst end game scenarios I've ever seen. But to be honest Sunday's loss doesn't hold a candle to how down I am after Bama's overtime loss to LSU. Oh well, roll tide anyways!
cleverkid
Prepare yourself for next week! The Niners defense is going to hurt the giants, win or lose.
direpickle
Bengals!
How about those Bengals? 6-2 with a five game winning streak! The first half of their schedule was the easy half, and the scores haven't really reflected the fact that they've been losing up until the last few minutes of many of the games, but it's pretty nice compared to last season!
whitewolf6613
George. I love all that you do. You cracked me up in Redwood City. But all bets are off on Sunday.
nutzin94
I'M DONE!
Are you a GIANTS or Jets fan? I grew up in North Jersey outside of NYC, kind of like you and I can't believe you're both a GIANTS and jets fan. Yes, I'm a GIANTS FAN.
WHO ARE YOU ROOTING FOR WHEN THE GIANTS AND JETS PLAY???
GO GIANTS!!!
I know it's a home game for the jets, but it's both their home stadium, originally known as GIANTS STADIUM!!!!!!!!
Please pick who you'r rooting for now.
ps - it just dosen't make sense???
signed: Nutzin94!
american football... sigh... as much a mystery as the knight of the laughing tree and why Sam is still overweight after months of forced marches through snow and blizzards, weeks of sea sickness, then no money to buy food etc. Very depressing to all chubby inclined readers on diets... sigh again...
Meanwhile back at Stirling Castle a football kicked around by Mary Queen of Scots is discovered this week proving the Scots invented football 500 year before the English think they invented it. Not only that, the first football game known to have been played was the Queen of Scots and her ladies in waiting against the garrison. Arya would get a kick out of that.. no pun intended... I wonder who won? (Now if Cersei had been playing, who would have dared to beat her?)
Awet M : Super Bowl 42 [+0]
danbuter1 : (no subject) [+0]
smofbabe : (no subject) [+5]
venardhi : You have a week to enjoy that sweet taste of victory. [+0]
sistercrow : (no subject) [+0]
pulvatory : Association football would drive you crazy [+0]
starfishchick : (no subject) [+0]
pilgrim23 : (no subject) [+1]
krtwood : (no subject) [+0]
Carl Terwilliger : (no subject) [+0]
bluekard : Go Big Blue! [+0]
boskier : I'm glad you're happy with football [+0]
lithlyrian : (no subject) [+0]
kayyymen : (no subject) [+0]
dray_prescot : (no subject) [+0]
nycfalcon : (no subject) [+0]
coscaram : (no subject) [+0]
stark_winter : Nope.. Life is misererable and full of pain! [+0]
cleverkid : (no subject) [+0]
direpickle : Bengals! [+0]
whitewolf6613 : (no subject) [+0]
nutzin94 : I'M DONE! [+0]
gracht : nfl [+0]
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K-Pop group IN2IT show off their Bollywood moves
Entertainment Bollywood
The South Korean talents busted some mean dance moves like Tiger Shroff and Tara Sutaria
Published: April 28, 2019 13:56 Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Chief Reporter
Image Credit: IANS
Bollywood producer Karan Johar had a point when he tweeted: “It’s official, the world is hooked onto the ‘Gili Gili Akkha’ fever! @Official_IN2IT is killing it with #TheJawaaniSong!”
The South Korean group, In2It, took to Twitter on Sunday to upload a Bollywood-style dance video replicating a string of moves made popular by ‘Student Of The Year 2’ talents Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria and Ananya Pandey.
The seven members of the K-Pop group — Yoo Jiahn, Jung Yeon-tae, Hwang In-ho, Han Hyun-uk, Lee In-pyo, Kim Sung-hyun and Isaac Voo — are perfectly synchronised with their dance moves in the video and seem to be having blast.
‘The Jawaani Song’ is remix of Kishore Kumar’s 1970s hit track featuring Randhir Kapoor and Jaya Bachchan. The updated version sees a buffed Shroff dancing skilfully with Sutaria and Pandey in the upcoming film.
Kapoor, who featured in the original song, has already given his stamp of approval.
“I feel there is no harm in recreating songs. The original track came out four decades ago. Many youngsters were not aware of the song, but today, everyone knows it because of the remix. [After the remix version released], they all went back and searched for the original song on the Internet. I haven’t seen the song, but I have heard it. It has a nice tune. Also, Karan has officially bought the rights of the number. So, his intentions are honest,” said Kapoor in a separate interview with an English daily in India.
The remix has already clocked more than 50 million views and the K-Pop version has already got nearly 15,000 views since its release yesterday.
As far as publicity stunts to whip up frenzy for a film goes, this one takes the cake.
Sameera Reddy welcomes her second child
Sonakshi Sinha accused of fraud, calls it ‘bizarre’
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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Games > Nintendo Switch: Great, now I want to fuck a piano
AlBorlantern Corps
In brightest day,
In darkest dim,
No tool man shall I broker him,
Let those who shout 'More Power' grim
Heed my call, I don't think so Tim
The Nintendo Switch arrived worldwide on March 3rd, 2017. With the first quarter over, time for a new thread. This thread is intended to cover topics relating to Nintendo Switch console and Nintendo Switch games until April 2018. This is not a general Nintendo thread, so it would not cover, for instance, 3DS or mobile apps unless they integrated with the Nintendo Switch. However, corporate news such as Reggie Fils-Aime being promoted to God Emperor, or Shigeru Miyamoto leaving to make a new Wonderswan, would be on topic here.
Nintendo Switch is a Hybrid console device. It is made to run games on your TV and also have a portable form factor. It comes with detachable controllers called Joycon. It also has a kickstand. This results in
Three Modes of Play
In TV Mode, the Switch console rests in the Switch Dock and the game is displayed on the TV.
In Tabletop Mode, The Switch rests on a flat surface with its stand, allowing for more flexible play options.
In Hand-held Mode, the Switch has both Joycon attached to it, allowing for gaming on the go.
The Joycon(plural of Joycon is Joycon)
The Joycon combine most of the controllers Nintendo has ever made into two small controllers. They each have an analog stick, two shoulder buttons, two side shoulder buttons for when you hold it sideways, and four face buttons. The analog sticks are clickable. Each joycon also has linear actuators, a form of rumble closer to the technology of a speaker that can produce more fine and impressive rumble, which Nintendo markets as "HD Rumble". The right Joycon has an NFC reader. Finally each controller has gyroscope and accelerometers. You can detach and attach them to the Switch at will, attach them to the included Joycon Grip, or use the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
-Nintendo Switch costs $300, while the Pro Controller is $70 and separate Joy-Cons will run you $90 for a pair or $50 for a single one
-Comes with a USB Type-C charger, HDMI cable, left and right Joycon, Joycon grip, two Joycon straps, and Switch dock. Battery off dock runs from 3 hours(low end, graphics intensive game) to 7 or 8 hours(2d game like Shovel Knight) depending on wifi and brightness settings. Joycon batteries last about 20 hours, and charge by being attached to the Switch, or another (not included) charger. The Pro controller lasts about 50 hours and can plug into any USB port.
-Up to 8 Switches can connect to each other for multi-player, either wirelessly or by LAN(LAN adapter required)
-A paid on-line subscription service is currently scheduled to launch in 2018. It will be required for on-line play. A separate phone app will handle friend lobbies and schedules, as well as voice chat(voice chat will be through this separate app rather than the console). The service will also include access to some library of NES games(and possibly more in the future) with added on-line play. This access lasts as long as you are a subscriber. Subscription will cost $20 a year. Nintendo also says it comes with other "benefits" but these have not yet been disclosed. A trial version of this app launches July 21, 2017 and will be for Splatoon 2 only until next year.
-NO REGION LOCKING
-Has a capacitive touch screen, meaning it registers more than one touch
-Uses micro SD cards; Switch has only 32GB on-board memory, so if you plan on downloading many titles, you'll need one.
-Nintendo Switch uses cartridges
-Switch is more powerful than the WiiU, but won't really measure up strength-wise to other consoles.
I’ll break this up by Nintendo made or published games, and third party and indie games.
Nintendo Games:
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Enormous adventure game unlike any other in the series, focused on exploration, player freedom, survival elements, and having a distinct set of tools. Highly rated by most outlets and highly recommended.
A mini-game collection focusing on unique uses of the Joycon. Maybe fun for a party, but not really recommended at its price. A fun novelty for an evening.
Snipperclips - Cut It Out, Together!
Adorable cooperative puzzle game, focused on cutting shapes out of a partner and rotating in order to solve a variety of problems.
Mario Kart 8 with a fresh coat of paint, this new version runs at a higher resolution and framerate, has new characters and vehicles, and an all new battle mode featuring actual well designed battle maps and many new modes.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers
The ultimate version of Street Fighter II. Listed here because published by Nintendo. This seems overpriced to a lot of people, I'll just link the Digital Foundry review. Whatever you think, it's Street Fighter II. If you want Street Fighter II, this is it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak6Stj97koY
ARMS is a unique fighting game with 11 playable characters so far, all with stretchy, springy arms. Each fighter has a couple of special skills, and the game focuses on guessing what your opponent might do next and countering successfully, and choosing a correct set of weapons for your boxing gloves that counter their strategy. At it’s core Blocking beats Punches, Punches beat Grabs, and Grabs beat Blocks. Fun and decently rated.
Splatoon 2 -July 21st
This sequel to Splatoon is getting a new horde mode, new weapons and specials, new maps, new divas in the form of the octarian Marina and Pearl, a new campaign mode, and new Splatfests(planned through 2019). Releases July 21st, alongside a companion mobile app for on-line play and voice chat. Voice chat and setting up rooms can only be done through this app and is not available though the console, so you’ll need your phone next to you if you aren’t just playing with pubbies.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle – August 29 2017
https://youtu.be/W_C-N0EC3kk
Ubisoft developed this crazy looking Mario Xcom, where he and Rabbid clones of his friends must battle other rabbids in turn based strategy to save, presumably, the musroom kingdom. Impressions are fairly positive.
Pokken Tournament Deluxe – September 22 2017
https://youtu.be/QLB-cCVwPJ0
The WiiU and Arcade Tekken/Pokemon fusion fighter returns for Switch. This time it will ave more characters and presumably better graphics and on-line. Releases September 22.
Launching October 27, 2017, Mario Odyssey is a giant Mario adventure in the vein of Mario 64. It features a sentient hat named Cappy that allows Mario to take control over objects and enemies. Mario must journey through worlds collection coins and power moons. Every world has its own currency and special outfits that grant Mario special abilities or access to restricted areas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kcdRBHM7kM
https://youtu.be/R8Ia_PCKPpY
Your standard Koei/Tecmo Dynasty Warriors game, this time with Fire Emblem paint, will release fall 2017 for Nintendo Switch and new 3DS.
https://youtu.be/xksPVZptPGM
The sequel to XBC will release in 2017 according to Nintendo. It features heroes that wield sentient anime girl swords, but also other non anime girl swords.
Should I get a Nintendo Switch?
Do you like Nintendo games? Does having a console with you on the go appeal to you? If yes to either of these, yes. Nintendo already has a strong library of their own games and lots of good indie games are out or announced. Third party support seems more enthusiastic than the WiiU, though obviously this machine will not be getting day and date ports of every AAA game, or even most AAA games. However it has been selling well which seems to be attracting some developers.
How do I get a Switch?
Your best bet is to check with your retailer for what days they generally get shipments, and check them out in the morning. There is a service that really helps: brickseek https://brickseek.com/ Also if you are an Amazon Prime member, they tend to regularly have stock refreshes only available to members.
When's the Virtual Console service coming out?
No virtual console has even been announced yet. A library of classic NES games will be available to Nintendo online subscribers in 2018. Nintendo also announced and SNES Classic for this fall. The truth is a full virtual console service may be a long time coming. OR maybe be announced 5 minutes from now. I don’t know, Nintendo is crazy! But hey, listen. When they announce a virtual console plan, I WILL UPDATE THIS THREAD. I will put it in bold at the top and change the thread title. So don’t bother asking when there will be one. When it is announced I will make it very visible. Please don’t spam the thread with that poo poo.
Can I use wireless audio with Switch?
Not right out of the box. For some reason it is not compatible with bluetooth headphones or speakers at the moment. There are workaround solutions however. See: this video. https://youtu.be/miXUwKK-71c This guy has a fairly comprehensive tutorial of various solutions. I’ll be using his videos a lot
Joycon strap problems
Putting on and taking off the joycon straps can be a real pain the first few times before you get a feel for it. Here’s an official tutorial video, and another video by Vince about how to fix if you did it the wrong way round.
https://youtu.be/CkrP6pQ4bjg
https://youtu.be/PG5n7-ncYDc
https://youtu.be/-oHC1VoaSL4?list=P...ujIZgxftniwp0D2
How do I pair/ unpair/ turn off controllers?
When you put your system to sleep all paired controllers will automatically go to sleep, however if you want to manually unpair them or turn them off it is very simple. Just a simple tap of the sync button will do it. If you want to change order without going into the menu, you can simply tap the sync buttons on your controllers to turn them off, then tap the sync button again to turn them on in the order you want the controllers to be.
https://youtu.be/21pRFud3o4A?t=6m46s
Should I tell the thread if I am sexually attracted to a Nintendo character?
No, you shouldn’t do that. That kind of content would belong more in PYF. No shame here, but this is not the place to hear about it. People tend to not even take kindly to joking about it, because this is a thread for discussing Nintendo switch, not for making fun of deviantart or whatever. That’s all well and good, but before you post weird fanart for kicks, maybe ask yourself real hard if it is actually funny.
How do I turn off or restart the system?
By holding the home button for a couple seconds you get the quick menu which had brightness and volume controls, sleep function, and airplane mode. To actually turn off the system or restart you need to use a different menu by physically holding the power button on top of the switch. A quick press puts the system in sleep. Holding it for a few seconds brings you to power options which has the option to restart or power off.
The internet stopped working for games and downloads, but sharing still works?
This occasionally happens to some people and usually can be quickly fixed by a restart. The bug may have been patched out in the previous update.
Special Thread Rules
1) If someone is posting negatively about the Nintendo Switch… get over it. It’s a great system to me, and maybe to you, but it is flawed.
2) Put CONTENT in your posts. Posting “NINTENDO IS CUTE. MARIO IS GOOD.” is not content and more annoying than the trolls you are trying to counteract. Asking a question you either A) know the answer to, or B) know there is no answer to is really annoying. I promise any breaking news about virtual console, major indie titles, etc, will be added to the op.
Power bank: https://www.amazon.com/RAVPower-Por.../dp/B01LRQDAEI/ and portable would increase battery life by about 5 hours.
SD Card: https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-micr...A/dp/B010Q57S62 128 gb is generally the best size for value at this stage in the console’s life. Around $40 currently but sometimes cheaper
Screen protector: The thread’s favorite is amFilm or orzly. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9RG3XS or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3ASPNV Apply in your bathroom with your shower on to prevent dust being trapped underneath. If you are worried about scratches, get a protector. The Switch screen is plastic, which can scratch easier than glass but also is far less prone to shattering. Getting a glass screen protector is the best of both worlds.
Nintengoons Discord Server
Goon Friend Codes
Thanks to Alfalfa The Roach for the previous thread, which I borrowed format from heavily.
Next post will contain 3rd party/indie games, as well as future games with no known release window
AlBorlantern Corps fucked around with this message at Aug 9, 2017 around 20:21
https://twitter.com/ConcernedApe/st...src=twsrc%5Etfw
Indie and Third Party Games
Currently released:
Fast RMX - This eShop exclusive is an updated version of Fast Racing Neo for WiiU. It is similar to F-Zero or Wipeout gravity racing game, with high difficulty but tight controls and fantastic graphics, all 1080p and a solid 60fps with all sorts of neat effects and good music. Features more tracks and cars than before, as well as online multiplayer.
I Am Setsuna - Square Enix RPG in the vein of their older SNES titles. Combat similar to Chrono Trigger but story and gameplay more or less in a straight line in a similar vein to FF4 or Mystic Quest. A sad tale with few art assets and minimalist music, but good if you like a simple RPG that won't take up a lot of your time to play through(roughly 20 hours)
Just Dance 2017 - It's a Just Dance game
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove - This is one of the best Indie games of the generation, an action platformer that takes inspiration from Mega Man, Ducktales, Ninja Gaiden, Castlevania, you name it, with approachable difficulty and generous checkpoints. A retro look that doesn't look lazy, but looks like how you remember classic games rather than how they actually looked. Treasure Trove contains three campaigns with different main characters, with a fourth campaign and a vs. mode coming for free at some point in the future.
Super Bomberman R - The first Bomberman game from Konami in quite a while. Completely servicable, and after updates runs very smoothly with good controls. 8 player multiplayer local or online
Blaster Master Zero - A very good remake of Blaster Master with all of the charm but better controls and gameplay balance, with some anime thrown in. DLC keeps being released free for a limited time, and you can currently get Shantae as a playable character, with Shovel Knight coming next month.
Voez - Rhythm game only playable in handheld mode, with touch controls similar to Theatrythm, focusing on notes shifting between lanes. This was originally a free to play mobile game with microtransactions, but this version just has all the songs and many bonus songs.
Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ An incredibly addictive and challenging roguelike with thousands of hours of combat. I haven't played it, but anyone in this thread who has will swear by it.
Has-Been Heroes An unpopular roguelike at launch that people are starting to come around on thanks to it being discounted to $10 and having a rebalance patch. Kind of a combination of roguelike and tower defense focusing on lanes.
Snake Pass - Snek Game. Kind of like Octodad combined with an old collectathon platformer, featuring music by David Wise. It's a good game, and once you get used to the controls fun to snake around.
Lego City: Undercover - Originally a WiiU exclusive, now multiplatform. This version features higher resolution, co-op multiplayer, and better load times. It's like a Lego Grand Theft Auto
Jackbox Party Pack 3 - Multiplayer party game where anyone can join in with a smartphone, with games of hidden identity, wordplay, and trivia
Mr. Shifty - Top down beat em up game where you have short range teleportation powers, in the style of a hokey 90s comic book. Fun core gameplay, but repetitive and marred by slowdown issues.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap - Remake of an excellent Sega Master System exploration adventure game. Beautiful animated graphics, and great music. Game mechanics are extremely dated, but completely acceptable.
Puyo Puyo Tetris - Sega Puzzle game combining Tetris and Puyo Puyo in great ways. Has options for the colorblind, and a ton of modes.
Kamiko - Cheap $5 adventure game with four levels, similar to Zelda or Hyper Light drifter. A short game you can beat in 1-2 hours, but with three playable characters and very fun to speedrun. Good quality game for the price.
Tumbleseed - Insanely hard roguelike where you must slowly roll a seed up a hill, avoiding holes and enemies. So hard most people can't stand it. A new balance patch is coming, but personally even though I can't make it past the second biome I find it very rewarding.
NBA Playgrounds - Big Head cartoonish basketball similar to NBA Jam, but with some questionable mechanics, panned because they couldn't get online mode patched in for a while. They did finally get it patched in though.
Minecraft: Switch Edition - Minecraft is on the Switch, and will feature crossplay with PC and X-box versions(X-box live account required). Has bigger maps than the Vita/WiiU/360 version but not as big as the ps4/Xbone versions
Disgaea 5: Complete - An addictive JRPG where you make the numbers go up forever. A sequel to one of Ulillillia's most played games ever.
Thumper - Sort of a horror rhythm game. Very addictive but also short. Play it best in handheld mode right up against your face.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - A sexist game for misogynists. Wait no, actually it's a cute, fun, action adventure game. With a touch too much backtracking, but it is what it is. Great music and graphics, oodles of charm, and good level design. Before I was thinking of a different Shantae game, this one keeps the cheesecake to a reasonable level.
Cars 3: Driven to Win - A racing game which I suspect someone, somewhere, has bought. Based on a movie that rigged the final race to artificially make a girl car win. So much for the tolerant left turns.
Mighty Gunvolt Burst - Imagine a world in which Mighty No 9 was actually good. This is that world. A retelling of that lovely game, but actually good, with fully customizable weapons and also you can play as Gunvolt from the Gunvolt series.
Cave Story+ - The godfather of modern indie games. Some would say this is overpriced at $30 for what can still be downloaded in some form on the internet for free, but it really is a great Metroidvania game with a poignant story and charming characters. This version is going to feature co-op at a later date, and has a ton of options for soundtrack. Also an option for switching to classic graphics is being added. There are new challenge maps as well. The definitive version of the game.
Oceanhorn - A mobile ripoff of the Zelda series that plays decently well enough with actual physical controls.
GoNNer - A challenging platformer with an interesting art style and roguelike elements.
NEO-GEO games
Hamster has released a TON of Neo-Geo games on Switch. I'm not going to summarize them all, but here's a list. I can tell you the Golf one is very good.
The King of Fighters '98 - Fighting
Metal Slug 3 - Shoot 'em up
NAM-1975 - Shoot 'em up
Waku Waku 7 - Fighting
World Heroes Perfect - Fighting
Metal Slug - Shoot 'em up
Alpha Mission II - Shoot 'em up
Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge - Fighting
Fatal Fury: King of Fighters - Fighting
Over Top - Racing
Blazing Star - Shoot 'em up
Garou: Mark of the Wolves - Fighting
Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors - Fighting
Last Resort - Shoot 'em up SNK
Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad - Shoot 'em up
Sengoku - Beat 'em up
Fatal Fury 2 - Fighting
Magical Drop II - Puzzle
Fatal Fury Special - Fighting
NEO TURF MASTERS - Golf
AlBorlantern Corps fucked around with this message at Oct 2, 2017 around 16:29
Futaba Anzu
GROSS BOY
when is new thread
Spliffs out to the truth
Hey everyone mighty Gunvolt Burst is surprisingly good and only ten bucks. Give it a try
Norns
Senior Shitposting Strategist
When is stardew valley out
A HORNY SWEARENGEN
When is RIME out?
mandatory lesbian
Let's ALL love Lain
Futaba Anzu posted:
is the switch gonna get games
Ursine Catastrophe
Rocket jumping?
That sounds dangerous...
eonwe
spit on my clit
This is the Age of Sin.
Reject the order of creation.
Revel in the annihilation of Man as the image of God.
Destroy. Plot designs of death.
Disfigure the face of Man and Woman.
None of you are funny, and if you really want to talk about the switch, the nintendo club's two blocks down.
Guy Goodbody
by Nyc_Tattoo
It bugs me that the upcoming games aren't ordered by release date.
NINTENDO IS CUTE. MARIO IS GOOD.
MarcusSA
I think short poor people are worthy of ridicule - why would any of my other opinions be worth reading?
Paid for and authorized by The Manlet Fund
P.S. Maybe I don't understand the concept of privilege at all!
The Switch is good.
Getting Splatoon 2 digital because I want to be able to load it up whenever I want.
chaleski
the truth posted:
I missed out on the first one but goddamn I can't wait to play it
Anidav
"Joining us now from Rupert Murdoch's colon..."
Arms is good
Sam Faust
Anidav posted:
s.i.r.e.
Down the Rabbit Hole.
A GLISTENING HODOR posted:
It's already out on PC.
eonwe posted:
mario is cute, nintendo is good
Dad Jokes fucked around with this message at Jul 11, 2017 around 02:37
Primpin and Pimpin
I never really considered myself a Nintendo fanboy, but today I got a text from my husband letting me know the Switch was back in stock on Amazon. I snap bought our second Switch, finished pre-ordering Mario Odyssey and Mario Rabbids, managed to pre-order our second Splatoon 2 copy, and went back to add a pro controller (will buy a second one when the splatoon version is in stock). What a good day. We spent the weekend futzing about with Snipperclips and unlocked Party Mode !! I wasn't sure about the $20 price point until that moment. Nintendo just makes me feel so often.
Takoluka
Don't look at me!
Marina is better than Pearl.
I guess that's what Nintendo was hoping for making it portable, that potentially more than one person per family would buy it.
Don't worry. I've got it under control.
Today I played Zelda on my Switch.
HyperPuma
this is a mess
baram.
smooth.
amazon has a 256gb on sale for $104 if you have prime today.
https://smile.amazon.com/SanDisk-mi.../dp/B01IC0GJKE/
when are we getting games i can put on it though?
Dr. Tim Whatley
after an incredibly unsettling dream that involved my bf and a bat and subsequently waking up shaking. I'm done with this show.
A good thread, thank you op!
Dr. Tim Whatley posted:
I thought we banned Amiibo thieves
PRIDE HERALDS THE END OF YOUR WORLD
College Slice
Marina is bad
Imma Poil Goil
Cojawfee
I think the US is dumb for not using Celsius
Zoran posted:
Unfortunately they just keep swiping stolen amiibos that get them out of jail.
Spellman
HyperPuma posted:
How'd you draw that exact lovely star twice
marina is good
pearl is also good
shut up and splat
Spellman posted:
its called craft
CharlieFoxtrot
Al Borland Corp. posted:
I hear Couples Splatoon is the new trend among millennials
Do you believe in heroes?
Pokémon Res
Slosher/Inkbrush
Motion controls
These are your correct Splatoon choices.
s.i.r.e. posted:
PC is an acronym for
P - ortable system that can be played while traveling or chilling on your
C - ouch? Nope. It's a a dead system for wankers.
Mr. Bad Guy
"Something something rape, something tranny genitals."
- Mr. Bad Guy
Guys once I unlocked Azazel in BoI I can't bring myself to play any other character is this a Bad Thing or a Good Thing?
Super Mario Odyssey comes out October 27th, not 29th - typo in the OP.
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Alternative Anime/Manga Thread
Discussion in 'Misc. TV Series' started by Corinthian, Mar 12, 2006.
Corinthian <insert witty title>
Here's the gist, post about your favorite alrternative manga or anime.
No Big houses here. No Dragonball, no Bleach, no Naruto. Anything that was 24 episodes up to late 40s or early 50s. Not your big mainstream anime manga
and let's keep it up notch. I want quality here, pure anime that is made to blow you away. Not something like "Tsubasa Chronicles" or some other crap like that.
and please, type properly..
I've been trying to watch some anime.
Wolf's Rain. I want to see how cool it is. My friends often tell me it rocks if I like something Ghost in the Shell like or maybe .hack stuff. Since I have no cable and no Direct Tv I cannot watch Animax Channel (24 hour anime channel. Although they don't have lots of anime, they show some anime some seasons and after a few months they change the schedule).
Another one that I've been curious about is "Record of Lodoss War", becauce I suck and I have not watched
Any good anime you want to share with us?
#1 Corinthian, Mar 12, 2006
Tamanon Professional Bastard
Lodoss War was great in the original version. I didn't really get into the second season that much. The Legend of Crystania OAVs were pretty good also.
Off the beaten path, Chrono Crusade is pretty damn good, it's about Battle Nuns, one of whom has a Demon for a partner. Very interesting series and nice action scenes.
And if you're ever looking for something humorous, I'd suggest Rune Soldier, also called Louie the Rune Soldier. Kinda a spiritual successor to Slayers
#2 Tamanon, Mar 12, 2006
hey yo its sean Registered
It's an experience of which you must part-take. Then watch End of Evangelion. It'll mind-**** you ******ed. Ok, maybe there's a hint of exagerration there, but it's a good train to be on, really.
#3 hey yo its sean, Mar 14, 2006
The Hurricane Registered
yeah... I loved Neon Genesis.
I also loved the Streetfighter V animated series too. That rocks. Got it on DVD recently
#4 The Hurricane, Mar 14, 2006
hey yo its sean said:
you can never go grown with that classic of angel smashing action
My vengeance Guest
Agreed.Eva rocks them all.
#6 My vengeance, Mar 14, 2006
WallCrawl Registered
If you want alternative anime that blows you away, download Mindgame. I dare you.
#7 WallCrawl, Mar 14, 2006
Perfect Blue is a goddamn trip too.
Mr Sparkle Registered
perfect Blue is awesome....
serial experiments Lain is pretty cool
#9 Mr Sparkle, Mar 14, 2006
key the Metal Idol isn't bad either, it's just that I saw back in the mid 90's so i was way more impressionable.
#10 Mr Sparkle, Mar 14, 2006
I so want to see Lain
#11 Corinthian, Mar 14, 2006
Angel's Egg is another good one. There's practically no dialogue throughout the entire film. There's this fantastic sequence of these statues that come to life, that start chucking fishing spears at silhouette shadows of giant fish that start swimming through narrow corridors of buiildings.
#12 WallCrawl, Mar 14, 2006
oh and you feel like having a good old cry, go and see 'grave of the fireflies"
Mr Sparkle said:
I don't know if Grave of Fireflies could be considered alternative. It's well known, popular and done by large production company.
To be fair, that's why I didn't suggest Evangelion. It's pretty much the DEFINITION of mainstream anime here
#15 Tamanon, Mar 15, 2006
Golden Boy is also cool.The dub's even better than the original Jap version.Too bad's only six episodes in.
#16 My vengeance, Mar 15, 2006
WallCrawl said:
true, but then so does lain, I mean it's Pioneer distributing it in the states i think.
Yes, but I think Lain's particular narrative style is alternative enough to fit this thread. It's up to Corinthian though.
I've seen a couple.. and Lain is so in...
Lain is kinda like the Radiohead of the Anime...
Corinthian said:
it takes the money and runs?
BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH up:
Ergo Proxy. Hot damn. What a sexy series. As in, it's so well made I want to have sex with it.
http://www.ergoproxy.com/trailer/index.html
Some other titles that I haven't yet watched but seem to be looked favourably upon:
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_atWLX_4VA&search=gankutsuou gankutsu anime ending japan
Jigoku Shoujo
Somewhere in the vast sea of the Internet, there's a website that can only be accessed at the stroke of midnight. Known as the Jigoku Tsushin, rumor has it that if you post a grudge there, the Jigoku Shoujo will appear and drag whoever torments you into the inferno. Very little is known about the girl - all we know for sure is that she lives with her equally enigmatic grandmother, that three magical straw dolls accompany and serve her, and that whenever a posting on the Jigoku Tsushin moves her, she becomes the Jigoku Shoujo.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=5577
I started to watch Evangelion.. I couldn't see it before for the love of my life, but now I can.. thanks you tube..
It is quite a depressing thing, Evangelion... it makes me feel bad about the world and makes me go depressed
DN Angel is... interesting. I've only seen 4 eps of it (in anime club), so I'm not sure if the origin and meaning of Dark's existance go beyond what I've seen... but it was very interesting to watch. I kind of liked it.
#24 Alexia Dark, Mar 16, 2006
It makes me want to take the lubricant from under the bed...Well,to each his own.
Hey,know what?I think I'm going to go watch End of Eva on YT right now.
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Gymnast dislocates both knees while performing in competition
Posted 7:10 AM, April 8, 2019, by Tribune Media Wire, Updated at 05:45AM, April 9, 2019
WARNING: The video in this story is graphic
BATON ROUGE, La. – A star gymnast at Auburn University had to be carted out of Friday’s NCAA gymnastics regional in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on a stretcher after breaking both her legs and dislocating both her knees during her floor routine.
Samantha Cerio, a 5-foot senior from Huntersville, North Carolina, was attempting a handspring double front on her first tumbling pass when she landed awkwardly and suffered the gruesome injury.
Trainers and medical staff tended to Cerio for almost 10 minutes before she was taken off the floor on a stretcher. Auburn officials have not confirmed the severity of the injuries, but NOLA.com is reported Cerio dislocated both of her knees and broke both of her legs.
Auburn Coach Jeff Graba tweeted that Cerio dislocated both knees and suffered multiple torn ligaments in both knees, but didn’t mention any breaks:
pic.twitter.com/wnUSJOz4Cv
— Coach Jeff Graba (@CoachJeffGraba) April 8, 2019
Shortly after the injury, Cerio tweeted: “I love my team.” On Sunday, Cerio shared a photo on Instagram of flowers and balloons inside her hospital room with the caption:
“Thank you to everyone who has sent support, love, and blessings! I am so grateful!”
Cerio was recently named the SEC co-scholar athlete of the year.
WARNING: The video below is graphic
Despite Cerio’s injury, Auburn advanced on Friday. The team was eliminated in the regional final on Saturday.
“Sam is just so passionate in everything she does, especially with this team,” senior Abby Milliet told AuburnTigers.com. “So I circled everybody together and I said, ‘We’re not going to do this. We’re not going to get sad. We can be sad later because it is sad. But we’re going to do what she would want us to do and light this fire. This is time for us to have a new fire. Sam wouldn’t want us to give up. She would fight harder.'”
Filed in: News, Sports
Topics: Auburn, Graphic Video, gymnast, gymnastics
Auburn gymnast who suffered gruesome knee injuries walks down the aisle
Gymnast who dislocated both knees now just hopes she can walk down the aisle
Couple accused of leaving toddler in infested car while they did drugs
A college softball player went to the hospital after her own teammate’s throw hit her in the face
Lancaster man charged in alleged attack on York County woman
Harrisburg man accused of scratching, bruising 19-month-old baby in his care
Two people were bitten by sharks in the last 2 weeks. Both of them lived to tell their story
Pregnant woman says boyfriend died shielding her after man opened fire
103-year-old ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins earns gold medal, sets records at National Senior Games
Two men accused of assaulting woman, stealing car, and running over her leg in incident at Caledonia State Park
Survivor pulled his wife to safety during an EF3 tornado
Charges against York County man accused of shooting girlfriend’s parents are dropped
Two people, horse injured after crash involving horse and buggy in Lancaster County
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Disease Screening in Public Health
Université de Genève
Current and future public health is characterized by the increase of chronic and degenerative diseases, corresponding to the worldwide ageing of the population. The increasing prevalence of these conditions together with the long incubation period of the chronic diseases and the continual technological innovations, offer new opportunities to develop strategies for early diagnosis. Public Health has an important mandate to critically assess the promises and the pitfalls of disease screening strategies. This MOOC will help you understand important concepts for screening programs that will be explored through a series of examples that are the most relevant to public health today. We will conclude with expert interviews that explore future topics that will be important for screening. By the end of this MOOC, students should have the competency needed to be involved in the scientific field of screening, and understand the public health perspective in screening programs. This MOOC has been designed by the University of Geneva and the University of Lausanne. This MOOC has been prepared under the auspices of the Ecole romande de santé publique (www.ersp.ch) by Prof. Fred Paccaud, MD, MSc, Head of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne (www.iumsp.ch), in collaboration with Professor Antoine Flahault, MD, PhD, head of the Institute of Global Health, Geneva (https://www.unige.ch/medecine/isg/en/) and Prof. Gillian Bartlett-Esquilant (McGill University, Quebec/ Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Lausanne).
very interesting. I learned a lot about diseases. Very informative course.
This course made my foundations for public health.
Cancer is a classical field for screening because of both the improvement of the prognosis for most cancers and the usually long incubation period. This part of the MOOC will present current data, evidence and policies regarding the most important cancer sites that include colorectum, prostate, lung, cervix, breast and skin. This module is given by several experts including Elisabetta Rapiti from the Geneva Cancer Registry at the Institute of Global Health in Geneva; Professor Antoine Flahault, who is the Head of the Institute of Global Health in Geneva; and Jean-Luc Buillard who is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Chronic Diseases at the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne. A quiz will complete this module.
Module 5 Introduction_new video3:08
Colorectal Cancer12:38
Prostate Cancer12:34
Cervical Cancer11:32
Lung Cancer9:40
Skin_Cancer_Part I _new video10:53
Skin_Cancer_Part II_new video12:23
Breast_Cancer_new video16:27
Antoine Flahault
Professor of Public Health and Director of the Institute of Global Health (Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva) and co-Director of Centre Virchow-Villermé (Université Paris Descartes)
Fred Paccaud (In Partnership with UNIGE)
Professor of epidemiology and public health and Director of the Institute of social and preventive medicine
Gillian Bartlett-Esquilant
Professor of Epidemiology and Research and Graduate Program Director and Associate Chair for the Department of Family Medicine at McGill University.
Colon cancer is a very common and lethal disease.
It is the 3rd most common cancer among men with
750,000 new cases diagnosed right in 2012.
And the 2nd most common cancer among women after breast cancer,
with 600,000 cases diagnosed in 2012.
55% of this cancer, these cases are occurring more developed countries.
And it is
the second cause of cancer death worldwide.
And approximately we can say that 1 out of 3 colorectal
cancer patients will die of their disease.
Many studies have been conducted to identify risk factors for colon cancer.
And, in fact, some recent facts have been found.
Between 5 to 10% of colorectal cancer patients have,
actually, in mutation that give them higher risk of developing the disease,
and because they inherited a syndrome,
the most common syndromes are Lynch syndrome and
the familial adenomatous polyposis.
A higher risk of colorectal cancer is also observed among
patients who have a personal history of colorectal
cancer already or a personal history of polyposis.
And also a higher risk among patients who suffer of
some inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative disease.
But despite the narrated syndromes
give the higher risk of developing a colorectal cancer,
most colorectal cancers are actually not familial but sporadic.
So other risk factors are responsible for
an increased risk of this disease.
Among the factors that have been identified,
there is obesity, there is diabetes,
there is alcohol consume and lack of physical activity.
Some preventive factors of being also identified and
these include physical activity, use of aspirin and
other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and
diet rich in fruit and vegetable and fibers and
poor in red meat.
The rationale for colorectal cancer screening comes because,
first of all, it's a very important public health problem both
in developing and developed countries.
And because we know that most of colorectal
cancers arise from polyps that become larger and
then become dysplastic and then become an immersive cancer.
And this transition between polyp to the cancer is
long enough to let us using some test to identify the polyps,
remove them and then decrease the incidents, or identify an early
cancer, remove them and then reduce mortality.
And we have some tools, some tests,
that are effective enough to be used as a screening test.
We have tests that are called non-invasive
that look for some blood in the stools.
And then we have some invasive tests like sigmoidoscopy and
colonoscopy, where a little,
tiny camera is introduced in the large intestine and
then to look for polyps and other lesions.
There are other test that are becoming more popular,
none of them have been, yet
evaluated by randomized control trials.
And among them we have the stool DNA test and the computed tomography colonography.
The test that identified blood in the stool,
the most studied by randomized trials,
the Guaiac Faecal occult blood test, and
it's been proven to reduce mortality by 14, 16%.
It's a test that needs to be done at least three times in three
different bowel movements.
It requires a little preparation and diet in particular and
of course it does not have a high sensitivity or
specificity, besides all the positive
testing need to be followed by a colonoscopy.
And recently another faecal blood test,
the faecal immunochemical test is replacing the guaiac test.
Because it has a very higher sensitivity, higher specificity,
it doesn't need to be done in three times, but two, it's enough.
It's automated.
And although it is more expensive and
in fact is never been evaluated by randomized trial yet.
Among the invasive test,
the flexible sigmoidoscopy has been evaluated
at least from four randomized control trials.
And every study concluded that it reduces
the incident of the diseases by 18% and
it reduce mortality from the disease by 28%.
The sigmoidoscopy can only detect cancer and
polyps up to the splenic flexor, so
missing completely the proximal colon.
And it needs preparation,
although less onerous than colonoscopy, and
has a risk of complication of with the preparation
rate of 9 out of 10,000 procedures.
Then we have the colonoscopy that never been yet
evaluated by randomizing clinical trials.
There are actually 2 trials ongoing, but
the results of these trials are expected in 2025, 2003, 4.
So all the recommendation for using
a colonoscopy in a screening program come mainly from
the logical reasoning that,
in fact, colonoscopies used as a gold standard against which all the other
tests are actually compared.
And some association like the American College of Gastroenterology recommends
the colonoscopy as the primary test to be used in his screening program.
Colonoscopy can detect polyps and cancers in both in the left and right colon.
And needs and honors preparation but
because of that, the polyps can be removed during the procedure.
It is more expensive.
It requires a high level of expertise to be done.
And it has a relatively high rate of complications,
in particular perforations,
estimated to be 2 every 1,000 procedures.
So we have a number of tests, none of them is ideal,
in all the attributes that we consider for screening test.
And the decision about using one or the other,
it needs to be taken into account, the burden on disease,
and the capacity of the place, of the reader,
the country, in terms of colonoscopy and
follow up treatment of the patients.
We can say that during the last 20 years, a lot of screening programs have been
implemented worldwide.
Most of them in more developed countries which have higher burden of disease,
but also which have more capacities and structures.
In Europe, there are at least 16
population based organized screening that use mostly fecal occult blood test and
9 opportunistic programs that use mostly colonoscopy.
In North America and Canada,
fecal occult blood test is used in United States more frequently
colonoscopy. There are programs also in Asia and Australia.
No programs for the moment in Africa, but
given the low burden of disease and many other health problems,
we wonder if there is the need of programs there.
The World Gastroenterology Organisation developed a sort of cascade comfort.
The recommendation for countries to choose on the basis of
available resources with the level 6,
the level where the resources are very limited suggesting to
use fecal blood test every year followed by colonoscopy for
the positive ones or by barium enema work-up.
So the conclusion, we have a very important public health problem which is
becoming even more important also for low, and middle income countries.
We have tools, tests that can be used as a screening
test to reduce incidence and mortality.
That choice for moving towards an implementation
of colorectal cancer screening program
that just need to be done, taking into account several criteria,
including of course the resources, the cost, reliability,
and the safety and also the patient preference.
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Hennepin History Museum Blog
Your History. Your Museum.
Hayward and Effie McKerson
Archival donations come to the museum through a variety of sources. This past spring the archive received a donation from Walker Methodist Care Center. Dr. Hayward McKerson had passed away in December 2017 and with no known surviving family members, the care center reached out to the archive to see if we had any interest in some of his photos and a few personal papers. The papers and photos of Hayward and his wife, Effie, share the story of an African American family that were active in their community and worked to stand up to discrimination faced by themselves and other African Americans.
Hayward grew up in Oklahoma, graduating from Douglass High School in Ardmore in June 1945. He served in the military for a time and attended Fisk University. He would ultimately become an engineer. Effie Stoker McKerson was born in Henderson, Texas in 1924 and she passed away in 2012. She was trained as a school teacher. Hayward and Effie settled in Edina in 1968, when a job transfer brought them to Minnesota. Eventually, he became the President of his own company, McKerson Chemical Corporation and Effie taught in the Edina Public School system.
The couple were very active in their community. They were both NAACP members and Hayward was active in the Elks and the Masons. Effie was active on the Edina Community Staff Advisory Council, the National Education Association, and Minnesota Education Associations. She also was very active in the Republican political party throughout the 1970s and 1980s. She served as a Minnesota delegate for President Ford to the 1976 National Republican Convention. And during the 1970s served as the Republican chairwoman for Minnesota. In 1975, she represented Minnesota on a trip to China, known as the U.S.-China Friendship Tour.
In 1982, Effie found herself in the middle of an affirmative action plan fight in the Edina public school district. Nine white elementary school teachers claimed they were “being laid off while a black teacher with less seniority” was able to keep her job. The teachers’ objections were with the affirmative action plan, which had been drafted by the school in the 1960s with the goal of recruiting more minority teachers. Eventually the controversy passed when some of the layoff teachers were rehired and other retired or resigned, and Effie continued to teach elementary school. Because of the controversy the school district adopted a new affirmative action plan.
The above photo of Hayward and Effie, in the middle, can be found in the McKerson Family collection in the Hennepin History Museum archives.
“Edina teacher named to the HEW advisory panel.” Minneapolis Tribune. January 22, 1973.
“Margaret Morris Column.” Minneapolis Tribune. September 29, 1975.
“Teacher layoffs test Edina affirmative action plan.” Minneapolis Star Tribune. May 6, 1982.
“Budget backlash in Edina challenges school district’s affirmative action plan.” Minneapolis Star Tribune. May 13, 1982.
This entry was posted in From the Archives, HHM Events, Uncategorized and tagged African American, Edina, education, politics on September 4, 2018 by Hennepin History Museum.
About Hennepin History Museum
Hennepin History Museum preserves and shares the story of Hennepin County, Minnesota. Located in the historic Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, we offer exhibitions, a research library, and public programs and events for visitors of all ages. Your history. Your museum.
View all posts by Hennepin History Museum →
← Fun with Historic Plaster. Or, Unintended Consequences The Demise of Burnt Toast: The Invention of the Pop-up Toaster →
Ninety-Four Years in Hennepin County: The Nash Finch Company
Older Than Minnesota: Gluek Brewing
A Long Tradition of Medical Innovation: The Artificial Limb Industry in Hennepin County
Jerry Sears: A Story of Slavery in Minnesota
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Questions about example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Michele"
Translations of "Michele"
How do you say this in English (US)? olá boa tarde meu nome é Michele trabalho na mapfre, gosto de jogar videogame e escutar música,...
Hello, good afternoon. My name is Michele and I work at Mapfre. I like playing videogame, listen to music and watching TV. I'm married and I have a three years old daughter and I study law. Something like that 😉
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How do you say this in English (US)? meu nome e Michele?
My name is Michele
How do you say this in English (US)? ola meu nome é Michele.
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Michele, How could you... does this sound natural?
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Entrepreneurship: From Opportunity Discovery to Judgment
By jdellape on August 15, 2012 in All Posts, Economic Theory
Chapter three of Nicolai Foss and Peter Klein’s book Organizing Entrepreneurial Judgment: A New Approach to the Firm takes a detailed look at the opportunity discovery view of entrepreneurship put forth by Kirzner (as we discussed in part 2 yesterday) and compares and contrasts it with the views of those in the Austrian School of economics.
Kirzner is an economist within the tradition of Austrian economics and has had perhaps the largest influence on the management literature on entrepreneurship. A popular definition for entrepreneurship research among those in the field is “the scholarly examination of how, by whom and with what effects opportunities to create future goods and services are discovered, evaluated and exploited.” The opportunity as explained by Kirzner has become the unit of analysis for many studying entrepreneurship. Foss and Klein put forth a different approach to entrepreneurship within the Austrian school which they see as superior Kirzner’s and also provide the history of thought regarding the entrepreneur within the school.
The Austrian School of Economics and the Entrepreneur
Carl Menger is considered the founder of the Austrian school of economics. He described the entrepreneur as a coordinating agent who is both a capitalist and a manager. The entrepreneur owns resources and decides how they will be used. Menger emphasized that entrepreneurs bear uncertainty and take purposeful, decisive action according to the knowledge they have. John Bates Clark and Frank A. Fetter are economists who followed in Menger’s approach to economics. Clark believed the entrepreneur must also be the owner of a business. Fetter saw uncertainty-bearing as the key entrepreneurial function. He asserted that an entrepreneur organized and directed production while possessing superior foresight. It is clear that the Austrian school did not start with an emphasis on the entrepreneur as an opportunity discoverer.
While those in the Austrian tradition have always seen the entrepreneur as having a central role in economic affairs, two different strands emerged within the Austrian tradition which led to different conceptions of the entrepreneur. Friedrich von Wieser and F.A. Hayek branched off in emphasizing knowledge, discovery and market process. Wieser saw the entrepreneur as owner, manager, leader, innovator, organizer and speculator. Hayek emphasized that knowledge is dispersed to individuals throughout the economy. He argued that market competition makes the best use of this dispersed knowledge and brings it to light. Influenced by this strand of thought, Kirzner argues that a competitive market is superior because it best generates entrepreneurial discoveries.
Economists Eugen Bohm-Bawerk, Ludwig von Mises, and Murray Rothbard are considered to compose a different branch of thought than Wieser and Hayek. They emphasize monetary calculation and decision-making under uncertainty. Mises emphasized that the entrepreneur has an anticipative understanding of an uncertain future. Rothbard critiqued Kirzner for not emphasizing the role of entrepreneur as uncertainty-bearer. He also questioned Kirzner’s notion that the entrepreneur need not own any resources to perform his function. Rothbard asked, “In what sense can an entrepreneur even make profits if he owns no capital to make profits on?”
Understanding Kirzner’s Concept of Entrepreneurship
Foss and Klein take the time to clarify Kirzner’s position on entrepreneurship. It should be understood that Kirzner is making theoretical abstractions in his explanation of the entrepreneur. Kirzner himself has made much effort to emphasize this. FK show him respect in clarifying this themselves. Kirzner does admit that real-world businessmen who own and allocate resources may be somewhat entrepreneurial.
However, Kirzner makes abstractions to establish that the “pure” entrepreneur is an individual who only performs a discovery function. He discovers new resource uses, new products, new markets and new possibilities for arbitrage. Entrepreneurship is the act of grasping and responding to profit opportunities. The pure entrepreneur is one who owns nothing at all. Kirzner is not arguing that this is how entrepreneurship is manifested in the real world. In fact, Kirzner uses the abstract notion of market equilibrium to define the entrepreneur. Market equilibrium is, in essence, an imaginary construct in which individuals have perfect knowledge, resources are dispersed perfectly according to everyone’s preferences. Therefore profits and losses do not exist in market equilibrium. Kirzner argues that the entrepreneur’s main effect is to push the economy closer to market equilibration. He is an equilibrator.
Kirzner’s approach has been much debated within the Austrian school of economics. The Austrian school is known for taking into account the real causes and effects of human action in the world we live in. They are averse to focusing on theoretical abstractions which draw economics away from the study of real world phenomena. Thus Kirzner’s conception of the entrepreneur is by no means the dominant one among Austrians. In fact, many question whether market equilibrium is meaningful or useful in explaining entrepreneurship. FK argue that Mises did not see the critical market process as a movement towards market equilibrium. Rather, Mises emphasized that the preferences and decisions of consumers eliminate unsuccessful entrepreneurs from the market. Mises emphasizes that the entrepreneur is a resource allocator, not an equilibrator. Good entrepreneurs earn profits while less capable ones earn losses. They attempt to anticipate the future demands of consumers and satisfy them.
Kirzner’s explanation of entrepreneurship should be recognized for what it is; an abstract metaphor to help explain why markets clear. His focus is on the abstract, aggregate effects of acts of alertness. The abstract “entrepreneurial opportunity” is Kirzner’s unit of analysis. He does not take uncertainty into account.
A sound understanding of Kirzner’s entrepreneur seriously challenges whether those studying entrepreneurship in the real world should focus on Kirzner’s conception. Those studying entrepreneurship should seriously consider the alternative explanations presented by the Austrian school; by economists such as Menger, Fetter, Mises and Rothbard. They make human action the unit of analysis, not abstract “opportunities”. Foss and Klein state, “It is the real-world, flesh and blood entrepreneur, who not only bears uncertainty in his judgments about deploying the resources he owns and controls but is also alert, creative, and leader-and not some abstract, hypothetical discoverer- who is the ‘driving force of the market’.” It is very questionable whether Kirzner’s conception helps us understand the real world entrepreneur.
Chapter 4 will give a fuller explanation of the judgment approach to entrepreneurship within the Austrian school which Foss and Klein argue to be the best approach.
About jdellape
I graduated from Grove City College in May 2012 with a B.A. in economics. I am currently a fellow with the Pittsburgh Fellows Program and am working as an intern at Net Health Systems, Inc.
View all posts by jdellape →
Carl Menger, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, Israel Kirzner, Nicolai Foss, Organizing Entrepreneurial Judgment, Peter Klein
What is Entrepreneurship?
What is Entrepreneurial Judgment?
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What Our Teachers Never Told Us about the American Revolution
Brought to you by Humanities Washington, Humanities in the Harbor will continue in November as we welcome Don Glickstein to the Harbor History Museum. Humanities Washington sparks conversation and critical thinking using story as a catalyst, nurturing thoughtful and engaged communities across our state.
Discover the American Revolution you never learned about in school. Why did Native Americans and African Americans support the British? How did a Muslim general come to fight the British with a French ally named Admiral “Satan”? Why did the fighting spread around the world, from Hudson Bay to South America, India to Africa, Arkansas to Gibraltar?
Author Don Glickstein explores rarely heard perspectives on the war in his illustrated talk, and links aspects of the war to our home state of Washington. Hear stories from the war, discover the reasons the Revolution matters to us today, and learn why the study of history can help us understand the 21st century’s war on terrorism.
Born in upstate New York, Don Glickstein was raised with the American Revolution around him. He visited places like the Saratoga battlefield and Fort Johnson, watched “Johnny Tremain” on television, read James Fenimore Cooper, and spent summers in Boston surrounded by history. He attended the University of Massachusetts and spent a decade as a journalist in Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, and finally at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and won awards for consumer and investigative reporting. He was campaign press secretary for Governor Booth Gardner, then communications manager for Group Health. He has written history articles for many online and print publications. His first book, After Yorktown, describes how fighting during Revolution spread worldwide, from India to South America.
Humanities in the Harbor is held at Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor, WA 98332. Admission is FREE thanks to Humanities Washington!
Admission is free, but seats are limited. RSVPs and questions may be directed to Zachary Sokolik, Marketing & Events Coordinator at Harbor History Museum at marketing@harborhistorymuseum.org.
Gig Harbor Literary Society: "The Living"
Gig Harbor Literary Society: "Firefly Lane"
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A History of Adverse Reactions
December 13, 2018 in Essays
From Firepool: Experiences in an Abnormal World.
‘Oh – you’re the one who wrote the Dictionary.’
I often get this, when I run into someone who went to my school, or his parents.
Yes, I wrote the Dictionary. I have copy in front of me now, not the original but a reissue. It is a photocopied A5 booklet that was put together by a well-meaning teacher, long after I had left the all-boys boarding school where I lived through my body’s 13th to 18th years. This was 1992 to 1997 in world-historical time, so an era of major political and hormonal transitions.
During my final year, I conscripted a team of juniors and sent them out with notepads into the various boarding houses like 19th-century anthropologists, telling them to bring back exotic words and help me type them up. Perhaps because of the school’s physical isolation in the foothills of the Drakensberg (I speculate in the Foreword), ‘a very large and colourful body of indigenous terms has developed amongst its pupils’. In my last week at Milton College, I printed off a few hundred copies on the sly and sold them. The reissue was produced (I was told) when the one remaining original in the school library fell to bits through being consulted so often.
It is a highly embarrassing document.[1] Not just because the revised edition includes a picture of me (with centre parting) on the cover and several of my schoolboy poems. The Dictionary, which I have only mustered the courage to revisit in preparation for writing this piece, is a deep core drill into a world of shame, anxiety, embarrassment – with generous servings of sexism, homophobia and bigotry. Adolescence, in other words, but adolescence in a particular place, and at a particular time. And the fact that everyone can’t see how embarrassing it is makes the whole thing more embarrassing still. The only time I have raised the matter myself was when I ran into one of my assistants, years after school.
‘You mean 1001 words for homosexual?’ he said.
I let the subject drop. But now I am writing this to fill in everything between the entries that I so confidently recorded, thinking of myself only as the disinterested observer, when I was in it up to my neck.
Mainly, though, I want to write about skin.
Recently I saw a televised debate on whiteness during which a panellist (the daughter of a rich mining dynasty from Johannesburg) recited a poem called ‘Sorry for My Skin’. I want to take that title more literally, more clinically. I look at my skin and do feel genuinely sorry for it. Pity it, I mean: this organ that has clearly taken, and continues to take, such a beating from just being in the world. Flayed by the sun of course – sun is poison to white skin, if we are honest – but by all kinds of other traumas. For about ten years it felt like almost everything that could have gone wrong with my skin did go wrong. Call it a case of pityriasis, an embarrassing rash to go with all the others.
Eczema, dandruff, athlete’s foot – fairly common. But also: psoriasis, boils, seborrhoeic dermatitis. Scabies, from the Latin scabere: to scratch – nocturnal itchings caused by burrowing mites. Verrucae that I needed a general anaesthetic to have cut out of my heels. Even a real outlier like scombroid poisoning, caused by histamine that builds up in bad tuna, a food poisoning manifested not in the gut but in skin that is set aflame, redder than the worst sunburn. Sunburn, the worst, many times. Prickly heat, Dhobi’s itch, pruritis. More itching, ecstasies of itching, that self-worsening phenomenon that triggers the same neural pathways as chemical addiction. Writing some of the most important exams in my life with shoulders sunburned purple and ravenously itching thighs – it made something out of me. What? A materialist, I like to think, in a deep, philosophical sense. And then: acne.
But not just standard acne. ‘Cystic’ or ‘nodular’ or (even the terminology is unbearable) ‘conglobate’ acne. Acne conglobata. Acne vulgaris. A condition that, I contend, has not often been written about, a world-ending metamorphosis that has not found adequate literary expression.
At around age 14, trapped sebum and dead cells began to build underneath my skin, creating painful cysts. Not pustules or papules (though I had those too), but nodules. A pustule or papule offers the possibility of being squeezed and its contents voided from the skin. A nodule should not be squeezed: it is too deeply embedded. But at the same time, the longer it stays, the worse the scarring – irresolvable, Catch-22 acne. Acne that those who fret about lone pimples before a date (and isn’t most of the discourse around bad skin along these pseudo-Romantic lines?) just cannot understand.
‘Ah, I’m disgusting. Look at this big boy on my neck’, my dorm mates would say, fussing around with creams, trying to ‘Oxycute’ the offending zit, going to bed with toothpaste dotting their faces. I looked on stoically, enduring the roundabout insult. Please, I thought. No local or topical remedy for me; no cosmetics or concealer sticks would help. My acne was structural.
To live in your body, to be conscious of your body, to be ‘present’ in your body – this is a good thing, yoga teachers and life coaches tell us. Breathing, being aware of our strengthening backs, large muscle groups aching deliciously after exercise – who would argue? But the kind of consciousness of the body I want to evoke here is something else. It is looking at a fingernail clipping, or the pile of hair on the floor of the salon, or the yellow armpit of a white shirt and thinking: what has this got to do with me? What has this got to do with my lovely brain and my important thoughts?
One of the first nodules appeared right between my eyebrows. I didn’t want to touch it, but I touched it all the time – in Afrikaans, through Double Maths – trying to work out how big it was, this egg of pain that had announced my imminent demotion from boy-king to red-bearded adolescent.[2] Was it as big as my fingertips told me (golf ball), or as big as what I could see in the one small square of dormitory mirror (olive pip) that I crept up to in secret?
But nothing could be in secret; this was a private school with no privacy.
‘Got a rhino horn going there? Are you a fucking rhino now?’
You were forced to live through your body’s changes in full view of everyone, forced to shower together in communal showers where you best keep your gaze above waist height, so as not to be accused of ‘cock-spying’.
‘And if you piss, you piss at the urinals, where we can see you. Not the toilets, understand?’
A difficult contradiction to navigate, given that 1) you (and your cock) should be invisible, because you (and it) were disgusting, but 2) you should also make yourself (and it) visible, available for inspection, at all times. There were many such paradoxes.[3] In an institution like this – a strange confection of waspish Anglicanism, sports worship and lip service to academic excellence – trying to conform to one particular code would invariably bring you into violation of another. On the one hand, insistence on hard work, asceticism, community service; on the other, contempt for ‘braininess’, quasi-religious adoration of the rugby First XV, and, above all, the assumption not only that money and privilege are the things that matter, but also that it is better to inherit them than have to work for them.
I am stealing these insights from George Orwell’s essay ‘Such, Such Were the Joys’, in which he spends some 20 000 words analysing his schooldays in a tone of triumphant misery, with a real sense of relish, in fact. He was revising the memoir on his deathbed, as if at the end of a writing life tangled up with the greatest historical ructions of the 20th century – imperialism, fascism, totalitarianism – it was these school years that offered some of the most formative insights into power, with ‘Crossgates’ becoming a kind of petri dish in which its operations and cultures could be examined most closely.
In my first year at Milton College, seniors would wake us up in the middle of the night and force us to go swimming. While we were all obediently (and nakedly) treading water in the dark, they would alert our housemaster. The next morning they sat on benches in the Main Quad, watching as we each filed in for a beating – a nice night’s entertainment. I ran out and hid behind the saloon doors of a toilet cubicle. It wasn’t the pain but the intense shame that made me cry – a raging, scombroid blush that consumed my whole being.
Right down to its architecture and its lingo, Milton had been modelled on the English ‘public’ (i.e. private) schools of the 19th century. But while schools in England had modernised and evolved, ours remained in a time warp, trapped in the colonial lag. I registered this when I attended my father’s (and grandfather’s) old school in Sussex, one of the original prototypes, for a year of A-levels after finishing matric.
It had the same vaguely prison-like H-block of quadrangles, sacrosanct lawns and red-brick chapel, but in most other ways had been slowly reformed. It was coeducational, filled with students from around the world: Korea, Dubai, Argentina. No uniform, sports regarded as a bit of a joke, detailed anti-bullying protocols tacked up on the walls – and all rather dull. A bland place in which I found myself missing the cruel comedy and narrative fertility of my South African schooldays, and regarding myself as a man among boys. Though not among girls: it would take years before I learned how to speak to women.
With the uprooting and transplanting of such cultures to the colonies in the 19th century, the contradictions embedded in the English public school system ramified still further. In apartheid South Africa, these bastions of conservatism became the progressive option in some ways – at least for white families – since private institutions became multi-racial earlier than government schools, which remained segregated. So I had left a whites-only (but coed) state primary on the Highveld to attend a racially mixed (but single sex) private school. Most pupils arrived in Standard Seven, but I had come as a Standard Six – spending a first, academically undemanding year with a small cohort.
There were some ‘day boys’ in this initial year, but the full-time boarders with me were mainly from Zulu and Tswana families. Phila and Lesego, the tall football captains, already well into puberty, were heroic figures to us. There was Thabo, who got spotted as presenter for a new, multiracial kids programme on TV, and Sihle, who taught me how to change a duvet cover. And two Mphos: one who was friendly and one whom I fought with on the field one day – or at least he just lifted up my khaki shirt collar and then discarded me, not even bothering.
But that first year was more gentle, a late boyhood idyll before high school proper began. I was in thrall to long fantasy novels and spent afternoons staring at the lawns in front of the boarding house, imagining how various configurations of grass stalks, clover and kikuyu represented a world of different kingdoms and armies. In this epic trilogy, The Riftwar Saga, some kind of gap in space-time had opened up and violent, conquering races were streaming through from another world. Midway through the long afternoons, one of the kitchen ladies would wheel a juice trolley out onto the lawns. Bright orange juice with a sour, sherbety edge – good juice.
Nelson Mandela is free but I am living inside my head. I have escaped the mining town. I am so consumed by this trilogy that I wake up early and go to read alone in the dining hall. The housemaster sees me in his early rounds and smiles at ‘The Professor’. Another of those mornings, we are revising for exams and I remember Thabo explaining to me (on request) about masturbation, using a fineliner pen to demonstrate what one should do to get ‘the feeling’.
How green can one person be? My comrades laugh as they ask me what ‘erection’ means and I explain rather impatiently that it refers to the putting up or construction of something, like a building. Or the Cross, for that matter. I am paraded around, asked to trot out this definition: ‘He reads the dictionary for fun!’ Another time, Lesego beckons us into the moonlit toilets to see the spunk running out of his penis – the first pupil in our year to achieve this feat. We are jubilant.
The black pupils complain about the winter, and how it dries them out. They are forever rubbing in creams with great attention, lathering Vaseline Intensive Care into their skins. Or perhaps that is just how I remember it, since this ritual – this loving self-attention to keeping the epidermis moist – became a marker of strangeness and difference, something to joke and smirk about: ‘Leave that stupid cream of yours, man!’
This whole Vaseline Intensive discourse was a classic demonstration of how ideology works to create a reality that has little to do with the real. A superstructure of values and judgements had been erected whereby it was their skins that could have been seen as anomalous: the skins of the majority of the country’s population, the dark skins that had evolved under these skies, that age so much better than white skins.
‘The so-called white races are really pinko-grey,’ wrote EM Forster. Looking at my skin now, 37 years in, it also seems blue-grey, sometimes even grey-green. So endlessly pitted and pocked, creased a thousand ways, each pore triangulated to about six, seven, eight other of its fellows via a cracked mud pan of rivulets and wrinkles.
As with powerful telescopes, the more vision you train on a segment of this universe, the more you will see: galaxies of freckles and sunspots, the epidermal equivalent of new quasars or other deep sky objects. Scar gazing. Then those singularities, moles: points of dark foreboding poised between melanin and melanoma. Each one of them a potential double agent, a possible traitor; each one diligently photographed by my dermatologist. A ‘mole map’ is lodged on his hard drive: a deeply conservative landscape in which any shifting border may spell danger. But there are many skin marks that have no names, that go beyond the conceptual net of language. Raised, sandpapery patches that don’t quite seem to qualify as warts – what are they? Glassy speckles like microburns from a spatter of hot oil – mysterious. Then the quills of hair, thousands of them; sometimes the odd thicker, more wiry Morgellons-like fibre twisting out, as if a pubic strand were taking its chances elsewhere: shoulder, eyebrow, upper cheek. You rip it out and out it comes in its neat plastic sheath, its little bulb – a jolt of hot, satisfying skin pain.
‘Does it hurt?’
A year or two later and I am in the snake pit, skin going lumpy with painful cysts that very quickly revealed who was a saint and who was a devil.
‘I bet they hurt. Yoh.’
At the back of Double Maths, Thabang is taunting me under his breath, despite his own struggle with razor bumps (pseudofolliculitis barbae). We sit at a twin desk and nothing can deter him from these sotto voce sessions, not even my having memorised the whole of Biggie’s verse from ‘Notorious Thugs’ to try and impress him: ‘Been in this shit since ’92 / Look-at-all-the-bullshit I been through.
‘They hurt, don’t they? Yoh, yoh, yoh. They look sore.’
Acne, etymologically from the same Greek root as acme: highest or culminating point. Prime, zenith, flower of life; of a disease: crisis.
Turning to the entries on skin in my Dictionary quickly reveals the diabolical ingenuity of human communities as they beget insults, nicknames, neologisms. Given that our Standard Eight history teacher’s idea of teaching was simply to screen and rescreen episodes of Sir Laurence Olivier narrating The World at War, we all knew that Operation Barbarossa (Italian for ‘red beard’) was the code name for the Nazi invasion of Soviet Russia. And so the word attached itself to those suffering from the kind of acne that comes on like a red beard.
Bad enough, but it could be worse. This was a world in which you could have the concept of a zit or a chorb – the signified, the thing itself – named after you. Once there was a sufferer of terrible acne called David. In a process of horrifying transference (horrifying for him, hysterical for the rest of us), the word was knocked down from proper to common noun: ‘david’ came to refer to a particularly large facial pimple, viz: ‘I have a david on my nose.’ Another example: once there was an acne sufferer who was spotted surreptitiously feeding bits of his troubled skin into his mouth while on a school trip, and the whole bus took up the chant of ‘Padkos! Padkos!’ – the Afrikaans word meaning ‘food for the road’, the kind of picnic you would pack for a journey. And so within hours you could be said to have ‘a padkos’ on your face – in the sense that you were portaging edible goods.
These registers of experience are revolting, and seldom written about – or, at least, were very hard to find in print during the pre-Google era. I had to wait to discover the literary outlier Jean Genet before finding a rare expression of something that happened all the time at my school: ‘I bury myself beneath the covers and gather in my cupped hands my crushed farts, which I carry to my nose. They open to me hidden treasures of happiness. I inhale, I suck in.’ But (he goes on) ‘only the odour of my own farts delights me … Even the faintest doubt as to whether an odour comes from me or someone else is enough for me to stop relishing it.’ This literary avant-gardism was part of our daily experience: crushed farts were carried to noses all the time, mid-conversation, mid-meal in the dining halls.
Orwell, Genet: laureates of male revulsion, both drawn to smell. Both willing to plumb the depths of self-abasement and corruption; both, at the same time, profoundly liberating writers. This is, I suppose, why I am probing these, the limit zones of disgust: political disgust, personal disgust, but also the intimate and democratic rankness of bodily disgust – in the belief that such an investigation might be a prelude to true metamorphosis, acceptance, love.
Once a year we had compulsory school photographs. We lined up in our respective subgroups: the choir, the Toastmasters Society, the complex hierarchy of sports teams adding to that huge visual archive of maleness that goes back generations. Crossed rackets, crossed oars, crossed arms – trying to fluff up the biceps from below with the knuckles as we stood there in our string vests. When we dressed up in our smart uniforms for the House shot, there would be two versions: the ‘normal’ photo and the ‘fuck around’ photo. A clever attempt by the authorities to draw off the subversive potential that roiled around at such official moments, to fold the heterodox back into the orthodox.
Looking at one of them now, I see Johnno pulling a manic face while everyone else around him is being a model Milton boy. And then looking deadly serious while everyone else is hamming it up for the camera. There he is with brush cut and crinkly blue eyes: a joke with a time fuse.
Johnno was the son of the deputy headmaster, and so he attended the school for free. His family lived on the grounds, and I would often stay with them over holidays, when the place shifted from being savage feudal principality to a benign landscape of rolling hills, pine forests and dams speckled by falling mist or rising trout. Johnno was the insider trying to get out – the tearaway, the class madcap. I was the outsider trying to get in – the straight man to his slapstick. On stage we did impressions of those in authority – awarded the licence that izimbongi and court jesters have. Our friendship had been discussed in staff meetings, his mother (a Zulu teacher – the whole family was fluent) told us with a chuckle – they were trying to work out who was influencing who.
Beginning together we were both skinny – about 50 kilograms, like most 12-year-olds. But as I went into my dread metamorphosis, Johnno entered a bodybuilding phase. The swimming pool was next to the gym, and so while I broke the calm holiday surface and set the black lines snaking for some light crawl, he would be at work inside, lifting weights as slowly as possible, looking at every move in the mirror, loving it.
As time went on my dorm mates would arrive at the start of the next term having bulked up, with pecs and lats and six-packs, even that hulkish trapezoid of muscle beginning to show between neck and shoulder. It was something I experienced as a kind of obscure betrayal. Why did they think they had the right to change their bodies so easily? And why did I feel sentenced to mine, as if feeding it pre-workout and whey shakes would be bad form?
Johnno adored mirrors. He would inspect his muscle groups with great attention, talking me through what he hoped to achieve with his quads or glutes. I avoided any reflective surfaces (still can’t look myself in the eye at the barber) and only ever ventured into the gym under the cover of darkness. I would creep secretly through the chapel to avoid detection, then down to the gym showers and wash there alone – not prepared to show myself any more.
Johnno’s chest expanded out like a steadily inflating rubber ball; he took to walking around in tiny underpants whenever possible. I covered mine up more and more; it seemed to be sort of caving in.
‘Are you, like, deformed or something?’
So said one of the First Team as he pushed me out of the way in a corridor, shoving my chest and finding it lacking.
Now a dermatologist was examining me in the sanatorium, which had these mortifying educational charts showing cross-sections of blackheads and whiteheads, of plugged comedones and angry nodules.
‘I see you have a case of Pectus excavatum.’
So this dented chest of mine, this torso that made it terrible when we played touch rugby, one team shirts on, the other shirts off – this was an actual thing. A congenital abnormality of the rib cage and sternum. Pectus excavatum. The quiet violence of that label, though. It sounded like something one might intone over a corpse.
‘Let me tell you something.’
I clung to what Thabo had said once, having seen me walking many times to the showers with a T-shirt on, then putting it back on straight after towelling off, still damp. He put his hand on my shoulder:
‘If a woman loves you, she will love your body.’
I count them among the ten most important words ever spoken to me.
If my situation was a tight one, there were those in far worse predicaments. We had a classmate over whose face acne played like an angry red tide, a crust of infection that he endured with great dignity and God knows how much pain. When his case – the worst any of us had seen – was being dissected one day round the pool table, a visiting Canadian exchange student asked us:
‘Why mock him for something that’s not his fault?’
It was a like a pill of pure truth, the kind of insight that could only have been produced in a different society, a different institution. It struck me with surprise: I hadn’t even been able to have that thought myself. There is, after all, a large residue of magical thinking and taint that surrounds acne. Why else are people so keen to blurt out that ‘It’s a spider bite!’ when a skin blemish appears. As if that is more acceptable, less of a moral lapse than an overactive sebaceous gland, or an upwelling hair follicle full of white blood cells.
One of my tormentors along these lines was a well-meaning woman who ran the Laundry, to which us juniors had to lug sacks of our prefects’ sweat-hardened socks and chalky underwear. (A further paradox here: we were required perform menial labour in a system where the menial labour was done by other people, people with darker skins than ours. Hence the strange and intimate ritual of itemising an 18-year-old’s laundry, then carrying it somewhere for someone else to wash.) When I had hauled it uphill, I would come under the concerned gaze of Auntie Nair:
‘Are you eating monkey nuts? You like monkey nuts, hey?’
No, I wasn’t eating monkey nuts. I carried on ticking off my prefect’s shirts, then mine, their collars spotted with blood.
‘Or chocolate? You mustn’t touch, mustn’t touch the face. Shame, man.’
Even humanitarian concern was unbearable; in fact, it was somehow worse than outright abuse. I just wanted us all to agree not to notice my face plague, to preserve a conspiracy of silence while this unfortunate transition ran its course.
By now, my room had turned into a Medieval apothecary of salves and swabs – but nothing worked. In his memoir Self-Consciousness (another key text in the mini-bibliography of skin ailments that I have built up), John Updike writes about the medication prescribed for psoriasis in the 1940s:
Siroil was … a bottled preparation the consistency of pus, tar its effective ingredient and its drippy texture and bilious odour deeply involved with my shame. Yet, as with our own private odours, those of sweat and earwax and even of excrement, there was something satisfying about it, an intimate rankness that told me who I was.
Siroil, he recalls, softened the silvery scales but otherwise did very little: ‘Nor did abstaining from chocolate and “greasy” foods like potato chips and French fries do much visible good.’ Though, he goes on, ‘as with many palliations there was no knowing how much worse things would be otherwise’.
That was precisely it. You had a suspicion that it was the oily eggs in the dining hall that were exacerbating the problem; or the huge vats of milk that we filled our cups from; or the packs of greenish braai meat that we ate on sports awaydays. But there was no way of running clinical trials on yourself, or of getting accurate data. There was no control; the range of variables was too immense. My body was running as an entirely uncontrolled experiment that I wanted to be left alone with, me and my useless creams, the insinuating odour of TCP and tar-smelling shampoos and carbolic soap – sharp chemical stinks that told me who I was.
‘What the fuck are all these strange potions? God …’
The only person I could tolerate on the subject of my skin was Johnno. He didn’t go in for charity or concern, but he didn’t sugar any pills either. He was more than ready to talk about body issues when I wasn’t (but needed to), discoursing happily about his itching arse (‘Isn’t it gorgeous to scratch, though?’), or his paranoia that one pec had ended up bigger than the other, or the way he needed a whole sheet of newspaper to mop up after two-fiving, you know? [4] Who didn’t give rocks about ‘school spirit’ and the motto ‘Quit Ye Like Men’ and these other sacred phrases, because this was the place where he lived, and he saw it for what it was: an isolated rural community of alcoholics (Physics), ex-military personnel (Geography) and permaculture enthusiasts (Biology). [5]
‘You’re a siff creature, but I love you.’ [6]
Is it stretching it to read Kafka’s The Metamorphosis as an allegory for late-onset acne vulgaris? Sure, but when the unflappable cleaning lady refers to Gregor Samsa with rough affection as ‘You old dung beetle’ – the most humane moment in the whole story – that is the kind of tone Johnno took around me, and I loved him for it.
I would suggest that those who have undergone chronic skin complaints understand something beyond a simple mind/body split. Some kind of deep evolutionary awareness, as you see your skin for what it is: an ill-adjusted interface between self and world, a work in progress – or rather a work in regress. But this is getting too theoretical: having (had) bad skin also means that you are never too ready to engage in speculation that moves too far away from itching and pus and scabs and blood. The whole of analytic Western Philosophy – a closed book. Rather give me Coleridge and his journals full of haemorrhoids.
We can’t, I think, bear very much physiological reality. We can’t hold in mind the shockingly material basis of our existence for more than a nanosecond without blinking, psychically. The disgust turns us away, a mental flinch that keeps us safe from thinking about our dying bodies. But for the sufferer of severe acne who has worn that disgust on his or her face (and back, and chest), there is, I like to think, a deeper flicker of awareness. When I see a badly pockmarked face, I feel this person has special insights: a particular, hard-won consciousness into words made from flesh.
Would Charles Bukowski, one of his biographers asks, have become the cult writer that he did had he not suffered from such severe acne conglobata? In Ham on Rye, he describes a condition of cystic acne so bad that his ‘boils’ (not strictly accurate) are displayed as a medical curiosity and mercilessly drilled with hot electric needles. They explode on his shoulders during rifle practice and leak through his woollen shirts. Yet Bukowski also registers one of the stranger elements of the affliction, that it is bizarrely engrossing to watch all this happening to your body:
I got through the term but the boils got worse and worse. They were as large as walnuts and covered my face. I was very ashamed. Sometimes at home I would stand before the bathroom mirror and break one of the boils. Yellow pus would spurt and splatter on the mirror. And little white hard pits. In a horrible way it was fascinating that all that stuff was in there. But I knew how hard it was for other people to look at me
Pus: disgusting enough, but a fairly familiar concept. It is when we get to those ‘little white pits’ – these epidermal gallstones, these sesame seeds of God knows what – that a frisson of the shockingly alien body reasserts itself. The father figure in Bukowski’s cartoonish autofiction makes the son apply a brown, burning ointment, then insists that the boy leaves it on for much longer that the instructions advise. The procedure leaves him so badly burned that he has to sit on the edge of his bed rather than lie down in it. ‘That son-of-a-bitch doesn’t want to get well,’ his father shouts, ‘Why did I have to have a son like this?’
By contrast, my acne provided some of the most intimate and touching moments I ever had with my parents. As I lay on the couch in antibiotic languor, my mother once asked if she could rub cream into the spots on my back. It seemed almost biblical to me in its generosity, the equivalent of leper washing. Driving to Zoo Lake and the bus that would carry me from Johannesburg back to school, my father opened up about how painful were the boils that he suffered at school. He put his bad skin down to the fruit shortage after the war, when pupils at that Sussex school were given only one orange per week (the spider-bite argument). But underneath his words I could sense an epidermal solidarity, and a larger acknowledgment of genetic responsibility.
These were the last few years before the internet became woven into the fabric of daily life, and it is hard to remember how scarce information could be. Today there are countless acne support groups online, but back then I had to quilt together a self-help manual from much less abundant and more arbitrary sources. One day I came across a fashion magazine in which a female columnist reflected on how, for some reason, ‘old, healed-over acne, I mean like Richard Burton scarring, don’t ask me why – is super sexy!’ Just a throwaway line, but I meditated on it endlessly: one day I would emerge with a ruggedly handsome face, alchemically transformed into the acme of male sexiness.
From randomly culled bits and pieces I put together my own gospel of skin, a litany of satanic verses and self-help psalms that I kept returning to, holding them close to my chest. It was a Bible of scraps that guided my life in ways far more profound than the droning Anglican services that we were forced to sit through, conducted by a priest who (everyone liked to point out) had had his ears pinned back. Five hundred pairs of eyes were, you see, constantly searching over every body and face, looking for flaws, for points of entry.
A reading from the Book of David, Chapter One, verses two to five:
On the side of the devils:
Do they hurt? I bet they hurt.
Are you deformed or something?
You like monkey nuts, hey?
On the side of the angels:
Why mock him for something that’s not his fault?
Don’t ask me why, but old, healed-over acne is super sexy!
Come on, you old siffbag.
Thus spake Thabang of KwaMashu:
Yoh. They look sore.
Thus spake Thabo, the Mountain of Ga-Rankuwa:
If a woman loves you, she will love your body.
Lo! A miracle is at hand.
Let us pray:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis
On 10 May 1994, with little sense of occasion, we were let out of class to watch the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela on TV. A majority of white pupils, a minority of black pupils and Indian pupils. Sons of ANC bigwigs, sons of sugar-cane farmers – all of us sitting stiffly in the day rooms of our respective boarding houses. One student stood up and shouted ‘Amandla!’; another said Mandela looked like a monkey. Liberal housemasters told us to quieten down and pay attention. The Geography teacher who had (it was rumoured) fought for white Rhodesia sneered from the back. [7]
Although I am in some ways perversely grateful for the amount of narrative and comedy that my school generated, there are certain things that I will never forgive it for. Chief among them is that while some institutions in the region made the historical events of the South African transition central to their curriculum, at Milton these were (as I remember it) regarded as something distant and rather embarrassing by most of the staff. The Codesa talks, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which the rest of the world was taking such an interest in – all part of the tedious and grubby world of politics that did, alas, still keep droning on beyond Main Quad and Far Meadows. The Afrikaner nationalists had mucked up the country; the African nationalists would doubtless do the same.
There was, in short, little sense that we were living through historic times. But, then again, South Africa rejoined the world community at a moment in history when history was said to be over, when the market had triumphed and economic globalisation was rolling across the world like an endlessly breaking wave. We became a new nation when the category meant less and less, when places were beginning to look and people starting to sound more and more like each other (in theory, anyway).
This version of transition we did experience; it saturated us. On every other (non-Mandela) day in the day room, matrics would sprawl like Caligula over six-seater couches and juniors would stand at the back as we all soaked up The Bold and the Beautiful. American soap operas and sitcoms and blockbusters were being beamed in from our rebranded national broadcaster, dissected with great relish as we ate our quarter loaves stuffed with NikNaks and drained huge quantities of Fresca, Fanta Grape or Sparletta Creme Soda.
If someone got hold of the VCR cabinet key, there would be late-night porn screenings. Apartheid censorship was gone; unstarred nipples and full penetration had arrived. Hustler magazines (SA version) were circulated samizdat, pored over, the letters in them read aloud by torch to the dormitory after lights out. One was set in a randy circus and climaxed with a dwarf having sex with a busty nympho trapeze artist and letting out ‘a loud cracking fart’ – what a scene, what a turn of phrase: it has stayed with me ever since.
Because my arms were skinny and could snake into people’s lockers, I stole the Hustler – a magnificent issue with two glossy blonde ‘lesbians’ on the cover – and spirited it away to the Butterfly Lab. The Butterfly Lab was a secret room that a progressive Biology teacher had given me and a few other high-achieving academics keys for: a life-saving place where we could escape from cricket-match scoring or cross-country in the long, drowsy afternoons. Tucked away upstairs, it was a teak-lined room filled with drawers of pinned insects behind glass, little piles of dust below them where the museum beetles had eaten the specimens hollow. There was a smell of chloroform from the killing jars, and hydrogen peroxide from the bleaching of small mammal bones for biology projects. All that plus this astonishing Hustler of airbrushed lesbians and farting dwarves and real penetration – some important afternoons unfolded there for me, hidden away.
Then one day Johnno had also won access to this secret lair, though (I felt) via corrupt means. The school had a recycling depot down near the dam, where you could use a machine rather like a huge garlic press to crush soft drink cans one at a time. For every hundred or so flattened you earned X amount of Merit Points, and so I would be there diligently crushing Cokes, Stoney Ginger Beers and Pine Nuts while Johnno lolled on the grass, bored. One afternoon he sauntered off and hailed the groundsman who was rolling the cricket pitch in the distance.
‘Shap, mfwetu!’
I heard Zulu carrying across the fields. Johnno was one of the few white people whom Zulu speakers seemed to want to speak with, since he knew the vernacular, while the rest of us pinko-greys never got past a series of elaborate courtly greetings. The cricket pitch tractor turned and began rumbling toward the depot. Johnno ran ahead of it, shouting to me: ‘Bring the cans! Bring the cans!’
He grabbed sacks of them and worked feverishly to lay out hundreds, thousands of cans in the path of the roller, which crunched over them like a tank, leaving a long trail of aluminium wafers in the dust.
This recycling coup had so entirely overloaded the school’s Merit Points system that the authorities had not known how to reward Johnno. So he had asked to join us boffs in our little tearoom, and soon he was there all the time, dominating the games of Risk and making us pay fresh attention to the bottled fetuses and tumours in the cupboards. He brought in hash brownies and CDs of B-sides by the Gallagher brothers, so weeks passed in a fug of us singing along to Liam’s nasal whine, while a big poster looked down from the wall: What Did You Do in the Britpop Wars?
One afternoon he convinced me to stay and bunk war-cry practice, a Friday-afternoon ritual when the whole school would assemble down on the rugby fields to drill for the big match the next day. Johnno regarded this with utter contempt, right down to the pidgin Zulu that we were all forced to chant. But someone had caught wind of our oasis. There was a violent banging at the door, and soon a group of bounty hunters were looking with disbelief at our little facility – the pickled embryos and chicken skeletons, the board games and powdery moths.
‘The Butterfly Lab, what the fuck? No, no – this ends right now.’
They were turning out the drawers and cabinets.
‘These fucking perverts have got porn in here. You disgusting man!’
‘You’re going to find the captain of the First Team and apologise to him. In front of the whole school. And I’ll ask him personally if you did.’
In silence, we made our way down to Far Meadows and peeped around the corner of the gym. The whole school was massed in ranks across the fields, letting out clipped barks as someone rapped a big stick up and down: ‘Red! … White! … Red! … White! … Dynamite!’
‘Look, I think if we just walk over very calmly, very casual,’ said Johnno, ‘Say we’ve been at a squash match or something, or representing the school at … provincial choir trials.’
But this time, I could read the situation better than him. I knew that traditions weren’t as malleable as he seemed to think. It was better to stay hidden, to reap the punishment later, in front of a smaller audience. He wouldn’t listen.
We began our walk of shame. For the first ten seconds, it went well. Then emerged a sound unlike any I ever heard before, or since. It was 500 people hissing under their breath: low, disbelieving, disgusted. Iyyyyyyyyyyyooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh …
At the end of these practices, it was traditional for juniors to run for their lives. The moment the last Shakan battle cry was ebbing through the evening mist, we would bolt like a herd of antelope, fanning out over the hallowed turf of the First Team rugby field. The rest of the school would pursue us like cavalry, running us to ground in a surge of adrenaline and time-honoured, meat-and-ale kind of violence enjoyed by all. But as Johnno and I stood there, arm in arm, already being kicked from behind and spat on as we did our best impression of devoted rugby supporters, we knew that this time the cavalry would be gunning for us and us alone.
I went down in a ruck of boots and kicks before I even made the 22-yard line, pleading that the maulers go gentle on my new glasses.
‘Your glasses are on your head, you cunt,’ shouted a thug who would not normally have laid a finger on the token intellectual, but now had been given free rein. What did he mean? None of it made sense. As my face hit the turf I glimpsed Johnno tearing away ahead of the pack, arms pumping high, doing his bull-necked run, head thrown back almost as if he were laughing – getting away with it.
‘Do you see that?’ said my mother to father when I came home, with stud marks having joined the cysts on my forehead: ‘He’s been bullied.’
And then told me she had made an appointment with the doctor to discuss a new skin treatment.
Midway through my Milton years, a great excitement began building in the school. Reports were filtering in from the clubs of Durban and Joburg, from the seniors above us who came back from weekends and half-terms as changed men. Rave culture had arrived in South Africa – a decade or two late, sure, but we were eager to make up for lost time. After a century in which a newspaper-wrapped stop of crumbly dagga was the only prohibited substance available to Miltonians, now recreational drugs were flooding into the country: acid, speed and Ecstasy.
On the bus journeys to and back from Johannesburg, the seniors in the year above us would commandeer the stereo system and start pumping out the tunes as soon as we pulled out of the gates. These six-, seven-hour journeys were unpredictable, liminal, even crazed experiences. The Mathura’s Transport buses carrying us through KwaZulu-Natal and up to the Highveld became temporary autonomous zones. In the process of leaving or returning to school, the official rulebook was no longer, or not quite yet, in force. You could be called to the back for interrogation at any point, or made to ‘babysit’ a two-litre plastic bottle of senior urine. If you fell asleep, Chicken Licken hot sauce would be meticulously spread on your bottom lip. You could be summoned to the front by the head sadist – a terrifying jock-raver hybrid named Brando – and made to watch the sex scenes from Sliver, sat right in front of the dropdown TV/VCR.
‘You getting hard? Are you sweating? He’s sweating. You’re dis-gusting, man!’
Sharon Stone and one of the Baldwins were cavorting in an eerie apartment block, watched on CCTV by some sinister voyeur. Video footage of humans having sex – which those porn barons with access to X-rated VHS tapes covertly termed ‘wildlife’ – was vanishingly rare.[8] I did really want to see this, but not, you know, here, with Brando’s face pressed up against mine, making sure my eyes stayed locked on the screen. Again, there was no way to do right in these situations.
‘What? This isn’t turning you on? Are you gay? Are you a stubbs?’[9]
Out of respect to those who truly did run the appalling homophobic gauntlet that such schools represented, I should not imply that I had it bad. In fact, most of the time I managed to evade individual humiliation by submitting diligently to collective punishment. The skin, after all, is also the organ that gives metaphors of camouflage and mimicry, of changing colour to match context – like a cuttlefish.
This was the great life skill I learned from my school: how to keep onside, using language to keep the bullies just far enough away. But now I was at a moment of perilous transition. There had been the war-cry incident, and now my skin had found me out: the acne could not be hidden. It did not respond to language; I had to wear it like a man. It pushed me more towards outsider status, and so made me clamour more fully for insider-hood, entering into the cruel comedy of those days, relishing and stoking the humiliation when it was directed anywhere but me.
The same Biology teacher who had given us the Butterfly Lab once hitched a ride back from Johannesburg at the end of school holidays, sitting at the back with his wife and two young children. We were barely out of the Zoo Lake parking lot before Brando smashed in a mix tape:
‘WIGGLE! WIGGLE!’
People’s arms went up; fingers prodded the air. We knew this one. Oh yeah.
It boomed out of the speakers just above our heads. It boomed out of the speakers just above the heads of Mr Clackworthy and his family.
‘PUT YOUR ASS ON MY FACE!’
But somehow he was no longer in charge here; somehow the journey was beyond his jurisdiction, and outright mutiny a real possibility. The Clackworthys continued to sit in dignified silence, subwoofers poised inches above their scalps – glorious.
‘I-LIKE-THE-WAY-YOUR-PUSSY-TASTES!’
Brando had taken nine Ecstasy tablets in a club over the half-term – this was the word going round the bus. He had collapsed in a stupor in the chillroom; people thought he was overs kadovers. But then he had risen like Lazarus and begun flailing and flinging and spiralling his limbs like a man possessed, dance moves that no one had seen before.
They began infiltrating the boarding houses, but in surreptitious and ambiguous ways. Hectic basslines and bpm’s behind a closed door: You gotta gotta gotta … SHOW-ME-LOVE! Then someone would emerge briefly into the corridor, skanking their arms like chicken wings, or throwing the dart, bouncing the ball, two-stepping, styling the air with their hands, checking themselves out in the bathroom mirror.
‘What you fucking looking at?’
But then it was gone: just another belligerent matric standing there with pumped-up pecs. All the sinuous movements hardened again into a jock stance, shoulders hunched like a bugger.[10] The smell of Tiger Balm that lingered: was it for muscular strain sustained on the rugby field, or was it for sniffing ecstatically as DJ Eezy-E dropped another banger on the floor of E.S.P. on the early hours of a Sunday become Monday?
Us deputies, who would soon have to step into the senior role, were now confronted with another paradox. The highest ranks of the alpha males above us, the real bad boys, were going clubbing, were obsessed with it. This crew styled themselves as psychedelic voyagers coming back with tales of all the worlds they had never told you (us) about, us going about mid-term revision and swing band practice in our timeless fashion.[11] FUMA began appearing scrawled on walls. What did it stand for? Nobody knew for sure. Some said it was the Fuck Up Milton Association, others suggested Fucked Up Morning After.
But clubbing involved dancing, i.e. moving the body in ways that could not altogether exclude the hips, those tense flanks where men hold so much of their anger. Or put it this way: while it was easy to be robotic and military out there under the strobes, the best dancers were those who could loosen up a little, could shimmy and snake, could allow something feminine through, who could be a little androgynous and still slay more chicks at the Second Hands’ social than anyone else.[12]
Behind those closed doors, amid the throbbing loops of ‘Freed from Desire’ and ‘Renegade Master’, some kind of ideological restructuring was going on. You proved your manhood, your tight-lipped position at the apex of all these old-school hierarchies, by taking E. But Ecstasy made you into an ecstatic chatterbox, a touchy-feely, homosocial being with infinite disdain for this world’s arbitrary divisions and boundless helpings of empathy. Maybe even the creeping sensation that you wanted to nuzzle the neck of your best bro, maybe even take his tongue in your mouth. Suddenly a non-ageist, horizontal gift economy was in operation: head-tingling Orgasmatrons being deployed on matric scalps by precocious 14-year-old ravers-in-waiting. Grain-fed prop forwards from the Free State sharing round their supplies of Stimorol, suckers, Vicks VapoRub – and all of this happening with such generosity and tenderness across the years!
At least for a few hours. Then it was the comedown, the re-establishment of defences and the larger philosophical questions posed by the rave ethos. If an experience of brotherhood so precious is transmuted so utterly into its opposite by the morning after; if something so memorable could not (in the cases of those taking more than two or three Dolphins or Hitachis or Mitsubishis per night) even be remembered by anyone involved, then could it be said to have existed at all?
The salvation and utopias promised by drugs are illusory, we all know. But still, the anti-establishmentarian forces of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine had begun to rewire our traditional circuitry, as happened in many other societies. Our brains had been shown those centres of pleasure and empathy; we could partly return there, trace some of the steps back to where the chemical interventions had led us. Wasn’t Ecstasy first prescribed by Californian psychotherapists to help patients unburden themselves? And didn’t we need that unburdening and then some? Suddenly there were concentrated bursts of talking cures happening behind closed doors and shouted into ears on dance floors. And when a received idea of masculinity had been so totally split open in those dark, thunderous rooms, it must have begun to filter back into the institution in some way. It must have begun to change that school, and others like it, so that when the young Old boys appear in my classes today, they seem more at ease in their skins than we ever were. Being a man was never quite the same.
A big rave was coming to the docks in Durban. Faithless and Carl Cox would be playing in the cavernous space of the sugar mills. Get ready for a night of Insomnia!!! said the posters, With Big Black Cox. The joller grapevine had been activated: plans were being laid, coded notes passing across classrooms and dining halls. [13] There were two rival dealers: one from Durbs, whom Johnno had put in an order with, along with most of the hardcore FUMA crew. The other was from Joburg, and I had happened to sit next to him on a bus journey. We had struck up an unlikely rapport, and so one week before Sugar Rush I found myself at a secret rendezvous behind the Tuck Shop, taking delivery of one E-Male from a strong, silent type called Darcus. He was known as someone concerned with his reputation for delivering quality product.
I was strangely moved by the exchange: the intellectual mascot being allowed into the scene by one of its gatekeepers, albeit on the quiet. I felt like I was being done a favour. Darcus was hardly upping his cred or turning big profits by selling one ecky to the Best Chorister. Johnno said that his order of no less than five disco biscuits plus some tabs for candy flipping would be delivered with all the others at the event. We set out for Durbs, descending into its humid suburbs and getting ready.
We pulled into a flat that a mutual friend, Bunny, was borrowing from an older sister. A game of strategy unfolded here as we got dressed. Along with his tight silver pants and tiny vest, Johnno had also procured a long-sleeve black top with a cryptic phrase printed on it: ONLY USERS LOSE DRUGS. Edgy wordplay, maximum body coverage: this was perfect for me. I craved this garment and, anyway, I had nothing else to wear. But Bunny (named for the Duracell adverts because of his copper hair) also had his eye on it, and as our accommodation provider had first dibs.
Here Johnno and I embarked on a subtle psychological campaign to convince our host that, actually, he looked far better in a low-cut, lime green luminous top that we had discovered in his sister’s cupboard.
‘Cool colour, and it’s going to pick up the UV big time.’
‘I wish I’d seen it first.’
In fact it looked absurd: a crêpe-paper garment with a loose and lacy, plunging neckline and even the bagginess where his sister’s breasts should have been.
‘He looks like a milkmaid,’ said Johnno as we chuckled in the background, ‘A monster raving lumo milkmaid.’
I got the black top, plus his wraparound Oakley shades. As a final touch, Johnno separated some egg whites from their yolks and styled my hair into Statue of Liberty spikes. The hold provided by the albumen was something astonishing.
We arrived at the sugar mills to find the FUMA crew milling around at the back, tense, waiting for their drug delivery. Johnno said I should wait until his E arrived before I dropped mine, and so we threw ourselves onto the dance floor. For an hour, then two, three, I applied myself to dancing with the kind of diligence that I brought to most extra-mural activities. But there was only so much energy that Red Bulls could give us, and only so many laughs that could be milked from pretending to milk a cow’s udder as we danced behind Bunny’s back. Johnno kept returning to where the bad boys were still waiting, but no dice, no can do, fresca.[14]
The drugs never arrived, and now Johnno performed something akin to those conjuring tricks with three cups and a bean. I just needed to give him my E-male, he was going to swap it for some tabs, then trade those on to someone else to get two eckies so we would be sorted. I relinquished my precious little tablet and he disappeared for a long time, eventually returning with a much smaller pill for me, saying that we had upgraded. This was a Hyundai – new on the market, almost pure MDMA.
In fact, it was a slimming tablet, something he only confessed to years later.
‘Or maybe an anti-histamine. I had so many pills in my pockets in those days, like Smarties.’
As Faithless and Sister Bliss took the stage, I found myself yawning. People kept coming up and squinting at my chest, mouthing the words, then squinting at me, none the wiser. Eventually I fell asleep in the corner of a chillroom: ‘clubbing’ in a different sense of the word.[15] During the night, Johnno’s expensive Oakleys were stolen off my face, and the fuggy heat of all the bodies slowly cooked my hairdo. Still buzzing, my co-pilot retrieved me at dawn and we somehow made our way to a swing band concert at our sister school, where his long, exploratory clarinet solo during ‘Take the “A” Train’ was widely acclaimed by the female audience.
This was the story of my first rave. I had fallen asleep in front of everyone and woken up with a frittata on my head. I wasn’t even a user, but had lost my drugs.
Though in fact, I was on far more powerful pills than all these winners, and had been for months. [16]
The miracle was here.
In the 1960s, during investigations into the treatment of skin cancers, Swiss researchers in the laboratories of Roche Pharmaceuticals isolated a drug called isotretinoin. This vitamin A derivative had a marked effect on sebum production, but was also found to be teratogenic (i.e. it caused birth defects), and so, in the wake of the thalidomide scandal, the research was discontinued. In 1975, the compound was independently discovered by scientists in the United States looking to treat forms of ichthyosis: rare and lethal conditions where babies are born with large fish-like scales, or emerge from the womb in the shiny, Vaseline-like coating of a second skin.
Further tests showed that 13-cis-retinoic acid was extremely effective in treating severe nodular acne. It was the only drug known to affect all the major pathogenic processes of the condition; it was antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, also dramatically reducing oil and skin cell production deep within the epidermis. The exact mechanism of action was unclear, but studies suggested that it induced apoptosis (cell death) in various sites in the body: the hypothalamus, the hippocampus and the sebaceous glands.
Roche resumed research and, after years of clinical trials, released the drug under the brand name Accutane in the early 1980s. The company was repeatedly taken to court, but doctors testified to the drug’s 95 per cent success rate and life-changing effect on millions of acne sufferers. The Food and Drug Administration in the US ruled that it could not restrict professionals from prescribing isoretinoin, and so it entered the global market, arriving in South Africa under a slightly altered brand name.
‘Roaccutane – a perfect case for it,’ said the doctor my mother had found, the moment I took off my shirt.
‘We just need to check your liver function, see that it’s up to it. It hammers the liver. Dries the skin out, dry lips, makes you sun-sensitive. Your face will go red and there’ll be an acne flare – it might get worse before it gets better. But it will get better.’
In those few days I mustered my last remaining shreds of Christian faith and prayed that my liver would be up to it, this pill that had been spoken of in awed whispers at school. It was, and I began taking a dosage worked out in relation to my body weight: one milligram per kilogram per day.
‘Are you, like, on Roaccutane or something?’
This was a question that tormentors liked to pose to those with bad skin. At last, I could say yes, and defang the insult. Yes, I am like on Roaccutane, so fuck you. A whole lot of us were, short of breath and dry of mouth at the back of the 1500 metres, or lagging behind the ball, able to blame all our unfitness on the drug: ‘It’s the Roaccutane!’ we shouted to each other, affectionately.
This then was a final historical threshold crossed in those days, one in which severe, Bukowski-type acne became, like smallpox and the rinderpest, a thing of the past – at least for the middle classes who could afford it. Such an effective cure also performs a different, psychosocial function. It retrospectively redefines a condition as clinical, as no longer the result of moral failing or monkey nuts, but rather as a technical glitch, a malfunctioning part that can be 100 per cent fixed by (in this case) intervening in the body’s vitamin A cycle. After six months of redness, drowsiness, dry lips, aching bones and vivid Roaccutane dreams, my skin began to clear. And clear. Entirely. I emerged with unclouded brow and smooth, noble cheeks – cheeks people even seemed to want to touch to confirm it was true.
With my newfound matric confidence, I joined Johnno for one final return to the stage. We came out of retirement to play the comic duo of Stephano and Trinculo in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the tinpot colonists and drunken tormentors of Caliban who want to make money by displaying this ‘most delicate monster’ back in Naples.
Our drama teacher, succumbing to the age-old temptation to update the Bard, had decided to present the production as an exercise in New Age psychedelia. A ‘tempest’, that is, that was all in the mind, soundtracked by that trance-like, tear-jerking strain of 1990s house music: coruscatingly banal three-note melodies given the full symphonic treatment, long build-ups and epic, hand-raising breaks.
From the moment Johnno entered stage left, the entire centre of gravity of the play was wrenched off balance. Rather than being the tale of arch-magician Prospero, wrongfully deposed king or freedom fighter Caliban, rightful owner of the island, it became mainly about Stephano and Trinculo – and substance abuse. Prospero looked on annoyed at our hammed-up scenes of drunken brawling, of feeding Caliban booze until he worshipped us like gods: A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder of a poor drunkard!
Somehow, the wedding masque of Act Four (a courtly dance of nymphs and sprites) was reimagined into a strobe-lit club scene of podium dancers – or rather, one podium and one dancer. All through rehearsals Johnno would be bending the sound guy’s ear, telling him to turn it up when that moment came, but, like, really turn it up.
When the smoke parted and the opening notes of Robert Miles’ ‘Dreamland’ tinkled forth, there he was: centre stage on a big black box, wearing nothing except what looked like his Standard Six underpants, weaving his arms like slow, copulating snakes as the music built and built, sticking out his buttocks, styling, spanking, swirling, crouching, cranking, working his way up from a down-and-dirty kwaito crouch until the snares rolled and the high pass filter fizzed like a filling bottle up and up and the bass finally, orgasmically, dropped.
It was the most extraordinary overcoming of bodily anxiety, the most flagrant and glorious throwing of caution to the wind that any of us had ever witnessed at that institution.
Today Johnno is a recovering addict, rehab counsellor and life coach who runs a support group called Man Kind. It is, he says, full of old boys from these ruinous private schools. But, for that moment, there he was, beckoning me from the wings onto the strobe-lit podium, beckoning us all, the audience who were also on their feet now, also raising their hands, entreating us, as if to say:
As you from crimes would pardon’d be,
Let your indulgence set me free.
In 2009, Roche discontinued its wonder drug, stating that there were now several generics on the market. But it was more likely due to the lawsuits brought against the company, and the millions that it had paid out in damages. Search the internet and Accutane’s history of adverse reactions spans everything from irritable bowel syndrome to colon cancer, from moodiness to suicide – though there is little hard evidence and lots of speculation.
I still marvel at it. Surely no drug can be that effective? Surely it was some kind of Faustian pact, with consequences that are still lying in wait? Nonetheless, the miracle of the 1990s, for me, was isotretinoin. To echo those on online forums: it saved my life.
For years afterwards I had Roaccutane panics, fears that this magical transformation would not last, that the acne would return, the nodules begin to form again on my shoulder blades and neck. I have been examining my skin very closely while working on this piece, expecting a sympathetic reaction transmitted like an itch or a yawn – as if the sebaceous glands will resume over-producing, turning into hard, septic little hazelnuts within my body again.
Today the vast communities of the web reveal that what seemed like a disgusting taboo is no such thing really. There are YouTube clips of people squeezing pustules and papules – ‘popping videos’ – that get millions of hits. The disgust has been democratised, alchemised into something else, something that links to the bodily humours, to being humane, or human, in a much fuller, more comic and chaotic sense.
Yet it seems almost more terrifying to live through the metamorphosis of adolescence now, during the final logic of the new world order that we saw arriving along with The Bold and the Beautiful. This was the promise that bodies could be reshaped, customised, troubleshot in every way. Teeth wrenched to order, chests filled out, skin magically cleared. Attention spans rewired, eyes lasered, trauma extracted. The limitless ability to improve the self, which began to reach into every cranny of our bodies, can come to feel like a war against the self.
Perhaps this essay is only superficially about skin, the skin part only skin deep. Perhaps it’s a veiled allegory for other things, miraculous transformations that weren’t so miraculous, or for the truly life-saving drugs that didn’t arrive in South Africa, the tragedy beginning to build under the surface of the Mandela years. Looking back, it sometimes feels as if a complex experiment, a one-off historical-clinical trial, was being run on us new members of the international community, but that its hypothesis was not easily discernible and its results inconclusive.
I often think to myself: imagine being sucked back in time now, and having to live through it all again, the youth you only get through because you are young enough to take it. So perhaps this is just to say: look at all the bullshit I’ve been through (been in this shit since ’92). But also to honour the secular gospel of literature – so unflinching, so forgiving, in that order – as well as the book of random kindness that saves some of us from the ultimate form of self-harm. Maybe you got out altogether too unscathed, accelerating away like Johnno over the fields, arms pumping high. Or maybe you never really understood the damage done, and never will.
Tags: Firepool
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Boutique firms
Small Business July 27, 2010
Local Man’s Brief Big 4 Experience, Stick-Shift Driving Abilities, Lead to Niche Accounting Firm
by Caleb Newquist
John Finn worked at KPMG in the early to mid-90s. He got into the field because he loved accounting. John discovered what many Big 4 types discover which is the job “involved more travel and schmoozing than it did accounting.” Since he wasn’t feeling it, he jumped ship in ’95, moved to New York and decided to get into showbiz. He landed his first gig doing the books for a film called Sleeping Together and since he could drive a standard transmission, he got to buzz around in the equiptment truck.
It turns out, that John’s marginal experience (three years) in Big 4 turned out to be way – WAY – more than most “accountants” in the movie business:
While he began his solo career with only three years of accounting experience under his belt — none of it in film accounting — inexperience turned out not to be an issue in the industry. “What I found out was that most of my peers were not trained as accountants,” he says. “They were failed screenwriters who really wanted to be in the business. I had a leg up on them because accounting was second nature to me. If you polled the accountants in the business, I would say that nearly half don’t have accounting degrees.”
Word must have gotten around about a real-life accountant doing the books for movie projects and in 1998, he founded JFA, Inc. to handle the expanding empire. That empire also includes IndiePay, a payroll software company that he founded to deal with the ‘archaic’ bookkeeping that was rampant in the industry.
On top of all this, John is in a band, Pispoure’, and wrote a song about how much he loves accounting. The song plays on a loop over at JFA’s website and before you assume that this another accountant failing miserably to exhibit any musical ability, it should be noted that he’s actually a decent songwriter. Anyone that comes up the lyric, “In order to get laid, you must impress our filing clerk,” is a natural talent in our book.
Leaving Big Accounting Firm for Hollywood [The Street.com]
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘long boat races’ tag.
February 24, 2016 in God, Jesus, Prayer, Scripture Study, Spirituality | Tags: adversity, long boat races, overcoming adversity | 3 comments
At the April 1980 general conference, Elder Howard W.Hunter, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, told of joining a large crowd to watch the long-boat races in Samoa.
“The crowd was restless,” he said,“and most eyes were turned toward the sea, watching for the first glimpse of the [boats]. Suddenly there was a roar from the crowd as the boats came into sight in the distance. Each of them had a crew of fifty powerful oarsmen dipping and pulling the oars with a rhythm that forced the crafts through the waves and foaming water—a beautiful sight.
“The boats and men were soon in full view as theyraced toward the finish. Even though these powerful men pulled with their might, the weight of a boat with fifty men moved against a powerful adverse force—the resistance of the water.
“The cheering of the crowd reached a crescendo whenthe first long-boat crossed the finish line.”
After the race, Elder Hunter walked to where the boats were docked and spoke with one of the oarsmen, who explained that the prow of the long-boat “is so constructed that it cuts through and divides the water to help overcome the resistance that retards the speed of the boat. He further explained that the pulling of the oars against the resistance of the water creates the force that causes the boat to move forward. Resistance creates both the opposition and the forward movement.”1
What would happen without adversity?
In order to have adversity, the men first needed to get into the boat. Next, they needed water and a tool like oars to provide a way to create resistance. If there were no oars and they sat in the water, they wouldn’t go where they wanted to go and would float aimlessly where ever the currents took them. If there were no water and only oars, they wouldn’t even move anywhere.
Having resistance isn’t enough though. They could be all the smartest, strongest, well-trained athletes and have the best oars and boat but if they didn’t communicate effectively and paddle together, they wouldn’t move forward towards their goal of the finish line.
Our Lives as a Boat Race
Each of us is on a journey. We are all in the boat of life and have choices as we move through our journey. Daily we have the choice to let adversity overtake us, or to use tools and communication strategies to use adversity to our advantage.
The tools we use to overcome our challenges may vary depending on our situation and struggle, but some tools and communication strategies will be universal.
These include tools and communication such as praying for strength, relying on friends and family, reading scriptures and other uplifting books for insight and understanding. Cultivating deep relationships so we can have this communication is essential as well. It is important to work and practice daily communication and relationship building with our Heavenly Father, Jesus, spouses, children, friends, members of our quorums, etc. If we have been effective at this, it will make it so we can paddle through adversity and become stronger, rather than adversity overcoming us.
How do you respond to adversity?
How has adversity and relying on God, family, and friends helped shape who you are?
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Education Measures Not Business Indices Correlate with a Better Economy: Ranking the 50 States
Home | Research | Budget | Education Measures Not Business Indices Correlate with a Better Economy: Ranking the 50 States
Education Measures Not Business Indices Correlate with a Better Economy:
Ranking the 50 States
Dave Wells, Ph.D.
Research Director, Grand Canyon Institute
What’s Better Economic Performance?
On many social welfare and education indices Arizona ranks low. On many tax and business policy indices Arizona often ranks quite well. Arizona has for decades experienced much stronger job growth than the nation as a whole, though not so much recently. This report looks at state economic performance using four measures:
Growth in Real State Gross Domestic Product Per Job
o a measure of productivity growth
o 2001-2014 (longer-term, the last two expansions)
o 2009-2014 (this expansion only),
Growth in Per Capita Personal Income Growth
o a measure of income growth
Unemployment rate (average of the U3 and U6 rate as captured over the last year), and
Gini Coefficient for Personal Income Growth from 2009-2014 (a measure of inequality)
Certainly, we measure the economy in many ways, so why these four measures?
First, if we just measure aggregate “growth” as is often the case, we capture the impact of two different things, growth in individual well-being and growth in the population. If a population grows substantially, the economy will grow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that individual well-being improves.
If a population grows substantially, the economy will grow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that individual well-being improves.
Real Gross State Domestic Product captures the added value of all new goods and services produced in the state measured in inflation-adjusted dollars, so increases in output, not higher prices increase it. Those goods and services are produced by individual proprietors and those employed by others. So dividing it by total employment gives us an indicator of the economy’s productivity. However, the benefits of real GDP need not stay in the state. Corporate profits, for instance, may go to entities and individuals outside the state and much of the growth early in the expansion went to profits.
Personal Income by contrast measures all incomes accruing to people who reside in the state. However, not all of it is wages and salaries. About one-third of it is dividends, interest and rent (DIR) as well as transfer payments (e.g., Social Security). These passive income earning activities may not originate in the state. However, DIR and transfer payments are an important component of individual well-being. To correct for population changes, however, we divide personal income by population to get state per capita personal income.
For both of these measures the focus is not on the absolute value as some states start at much higher levels than others, but on its growth. Economic growth is best measured over a span of years, so these measures includes the last two business cycles, starting from 2001 and the last business cycle starting from 2009.
To evaluate how well the state labor market is functioning, the unemployment rate is considered for the last year. U3 is the unemployment rate that gets the most publicity, measuring those actively looking for work in the past month divided by those currently employed plus those actively looking for work. This is the conventional unemployment rate. U6 is the broadest measure of labor underutilization. U6 includes unemployment and underemployment—including those actively looking for work, and those who have been employed or sought work in the last 12 months but haven’t looked in the last month due to obstacles or becoming discouraged. In addition, it includes those working part-time that are not able to find full-time work due to a lack of full-time work or obstacles (e.g., affordable child care) that prevent it. U6 is roughly twice as large as U3.
Taking the average of U3 and U6 gives a priority to those most actively seeking work, but still includes a measure of the broader labor market.
Finally, growth in real GDP per job and growth in per capita personal income ignores who receives that income. The Gini coefficient ranges from 0 to 1 and is based on how much the distribution of income deviates from perfect equality. A Gini coefficient of 0 indicates everyone had the same income and a Gini coefficient of 1 means all income was held by one household. In this case, the analysis looks at the recent change in personal income 2009-2014 and how that change in income has been distributed. If in State A income increased 10 percent and all households had their incomes go up by 10 percent, then the Gini coefficient would not change. So the Gini coefficient for added income would be the same as the state’s Gini coefficient. But if in State B upper income families grew by 20 percent and lower income families did not grow at all, then the Gini coefficient would rise, and the Gini coefficient for added income would be higher than the state’s prior Gini coefficient to capture that higher level of inequality. Likewise, if in State C, lower income families incomes rose by 20 percent and higher income families did not change, then the Gini would move in the direction of greater income equality, and the Gini coefficient for additional income would capture that. With respect to these three cases, the last case, State C would rank best, the state with equal gains would rank in the middle and the state where only upper income people gained would rank worst.
Collectively, these four measures provide an inclusive measure of the economic performance of a state. Each of the 50 states were ranked on each measure, and then ranked again from the state that had the best average ranking to the state which had the worst one.
Table 1 looks at half the states for Economic Performance: the top 15 and bottom 10. Unfortunately, Arizona is the only state to rank in the bottom ten for all four criteria.
State Rank by Economic Performance Variable (Top 15, Bottom 10)
State GDP per Job2001/2009-2014 PC PI2001/2009-2015 UnemploymentRate Gini2009-2014 Avg. Rank ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
North Dakota 1 1 1 14 4.25 1
Nebraska 5 10 3 2 5 2
Oklahoma 4 3 15 11 8.25 3
South Dakota 6 23 2 3 8.5 4
Iowa 2 18 5 17 10.5 5
New Hampshire 16 12 4 12 11 6
Texas 10 8 13 21 13 7
Vermont 17 9 9 22 14.25 8
Hawaii 26 15 11 6 14.5 9
Arkansas 7 7 21 28 15.75 10
Minnesota 9 21 8 27 16.25 11
Wyoming 46 2 16 5 17.25 12
Wisconsin 13 33 14 10 17.5 13
Montana 8 6 17 40 17.75 14
Utah 30 25 7 9 17.75 14
Illinois 35 38 41 30 36 41
Connecticut 44 22 33 48 36.75 42
Delaware 43 49 24 35 37.75 43
North Carolina 37 46 38 31 38 44
Maine 41 43 19 50 38.25 45
New Mexico 27 30 49 47 38.25 45
Florida 48 45 32 38 40.75 47
Nevada 50 50 50 15 41.25 48
Georgia 47 48 39 32 41.5 49
Arizona 42 47 44 42 43.75 50
What best correlates with Better Economic Performance? Business or Education Indices?
Policymakers frequently express a desire to improve economic prosperity. The best business climate lists typically infer that higher ranking states do better economically. Some argue that tax measures, regulatory indices, and/or labor cost indices are the most important indicators. Collectively, these form the main basis of many business indices.
On the opposite end would be to focus on labor quality, emphasizing educational outcomes and attainment.
This study looks at state outlook rankings put together in 2009 which purported to predict how states would perform moving forward as well as the most current version of those rankings to see how well they correlate with the Economic Performance Index.
On the opposite side, the study examines how well education measures correlate with better economic performance.
These are the indices evaluated.
American Legislative Exchange Council (2009 and 2016 rankings)
o ALEC’s Economic Outlook rankings are based on having top personal or corporate tax rates that are low, regressive income tax structures (if income goes up, tax burden going down is preferred), requiring that unionized workplaces be open (no one is required to join the union), low taxes overall, recent changes that reduce taxes, a low minimum wage, fewer state employees per 10,000 population, and expenditure controls on state government.
o Arizona has historically ranked very highly with ALEC. In 2009 Arizona ranked 3rd. In 2016 Arizona ranked 5th.
Chief Executive Magazine (2009 and 2016 rankings)
o Chief Executive Magazine completes an annual survey of 513 CEO’s to rank states based on the “friendliness of their tax and regulatory regime, workforce quality and living environment (This latter category includes not just the cost of living but the education system and the state and local attitudes toward business).”
o Arizona has historically been ranked highly by Chief Executive Magazine. In 2009 Arizona ranked 8th. In 2016 Arizona ranked 6th.
Forbes Best States for Business (2009 and 2015 rankings)
o Forbes factors in 40 data points across six areas to determine their rankings.
Forbes most heavily weighs their business cost index which relies heavily but not exclusively on Moody’s Analytics Cost of Doing Business.
Forbes’ other categories include labor supply which looks at educational attainment and net migration.
The regulatory score is largely impacted by the “Freedom in the 50 States” Report of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Their economic climate portion focuses on changes in jobs, income (not clear if per capita or just growth in personal income generally), Gross State Product, and unemployment over the past five years.
Growth prospects is based on Moody Analytics expectations for jobs, income and gross state product going forward, and
Finally, Quality of Life includes cost of living, public education test scores (may not be demographically adjusted), crime rates, average temperature, and cultural and recreational amenities.
o Arizona ranked 36th in 2009 and had risen to 23rd by 2015. In 2015 Arizona’s best areas were growth prospects (7th) and labor supply (15th). Its worst areas were quality of life (40th) and economic climate (34th).
Tax Foundation (2010 and 2016 Business Tax Climate Rankings)
o The tax foundation looks at over 100 tax variables across five areas: corporate, individual income, sales, property and unemployment insurance to determine their ranking.
o Arizona has done fair with the Tax Foundation. In 2010 Arizona ranked 28th and by 2016 Arizona was 24th.
To these business rankings four measures of educational outcomes plus combined educational outcome measures were examined.
2005-2009 NAEP 8th grade free and reduced lunch-adjusted math and reading scores
o Includes 2005, 2007 and 2009 with a random selection of schools selected from each state designed to be representative.
o In 2009, 2005 cohort would be graduating from high school. In 2015, the 2007 cohort would include some graduating from college. This measure provides one indicator of school quality.
o Free and Reduced Lunch-adjusted students means that each state’s scores were split evenly between students on free and reduced lunch and those not qualifying for the program, so on that level all states were demographically identical. NAEP on line data does not enable more sophisticated controls for income and other aspects. The two sets of math and reading scores were then added for each year, then added across the three years of testing and the states ranked. To qualify for free and reduced lunch a student’s family must be no higher than 185 percent of the federal poverty line.
o Arizona ranks 41st.
2003-2009 High School Graduation Rates
o Uses Average Freshman Graduation Rate (AFGR). Takes the number of students receiving high school diplomas divided by the size of its freshman class four years earlier.
o These students would be 18 to 24 in 2009 and 24 to 30 years old in 2015
o This is based on the percent of freshman graduating four years later as collected from the states and published by the National Center for Educational Statistics
o Arizona ranks 37th.
2012-2013 Economically-adjusted High School Graduation Rates
o Uses Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). Under the guidelines of No Child Left Behind, the National Center for Educational Statistics has developed a new student tracking based system that tracks actual students who were freshman and what percent of them actually graduate in four years. The 2011 graduating year was the first year data became available.
o NCES data includes “economically disadvantaged” students but No Child Left Behind gave the states the ability to define what that constituted. The Everybody Graduates Center in the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University beginning with its annual report in 2014 for the class of 2012 breaks down for each state the percent of students considered “low income” and “nonlow income.” It also uses NCES data to indicate what the graduation rate for each state was for “low income” and “nonlow income” students. The economically-adjusted graduation rates averages the low income and nonlow income graduation rates for each state across the two years and then ranks them to create an economically-adjusted high school graduation rate that gives each state equivalent demographics across these two categories.
o Arizona ranked 40th.
2005-2012 percent change in adults 25-64 with an Associate degree or higher (years limited due to data availability)
o Certainly more people with higher levels of educational attainment correlate with higher incomes. This measure looks at data from the American Community Survey at the percentage change of prime working age adults 25-64 who have earned an Associate degree or higher. This could reflect the impact of in-migration for higher quality jobs as well as improvement longer term residents’ educational credentials.
o Arizona ranks 42nd.
Combined Education Measures
o Average ranking for states across the four education measures( then re-ranked)
o Average rankings for states across three of the education measures using only one of the two high school graduation measures, so that is not weighted stronger.
o Arizona ranked 45th in two and 49th in the other.
Rankings were correlated with economic performance, which examines how well they coincide with each other. For instance, in baseball the more strikeouts per 9 innings that a pitcher gets has been found to negatively correlate with batting average, meaning more strikeouts generally results in fewer hits. At the Olympics we find that a country’s per capita Gross Domestic Product correlates with the number of athletes they send to the games. If very small population countries are eliminated, this correlation increases. Essentially wealthier countries send more athletes to the Olympic Games.
Correlations range from -1 (perfectly negatively correlated) to +1 (perfectly positively correlated). To illustrate, among countries with a population of 10 million or more, there is a 0.72 correlation between the number of athletes sent to the Rio Olympics and the country’s Gross Domestic Product per person (or per capita). For instance, the Netherlands (pop. 14 million) has a per capita GDP of $49,200 and sent 237 athletes to Rio. Chile (pop. 17.5 million) has a per capita GDP of half as much $23,500 and sent 41 athletes, while Zambia (pop. 15 million) has a per capita GDP of $3,900 and sent only 7 athletes.
In this study’s case we have two sets of rankings from best to worst, 1 to 50, and the question is whether a particular ranking correlates positively with economic performance.
Figure 1 shows the scatterplot for the 2009 ALEC Economic Outlook rankings and Economic Performance along with the 2003-2009 High School Graduation Rate and Economic Performance.
The ALEC 2009 graph shows no discernable relationship at all. In fact, the mathematical correlation comes out as 0, technically .003.
The High School Graduation Rate is scattered, but also shows a trend. None of the worst economic performance states had top high school graduation rates (blank space in upper left) and none of the best economic performing states had low high school graduation rates (blank space in lower right). The two indices correlate—as one goes up (performance decreasing), so does the other. In this case, the mathematical correlation was 0.571 and due to the greater concentration of the dots, we’re more than 99 percent sure that in fact there is a positive relationship here.
All of the business measures fail to correlate with economic performance with the exception of the Forbes Best Business Climate Index. However, even Forbes’ best states for business index comes nowhere close to how well each of the education measures correlate with economic performance.
In Table 2 below you’ll see a bolded number for the correlation for each of the indices and Economic Performance (including the ALEC index). That indicates how strongly the two move in tandem. The number in parenthesis below the bold number indicates how likely the correlation in bold could in fact be zero or not aligned with economic performance. The .573 result for the high school graduation has essentially no likelihood of being zero or in a negative direction.
In Table 2 * indicates that the probability is 10 percent or less that the relationship could be zero or negative. ** indicates that the probability is 5 percent or less that the relationship could be zero or negative, and *** indicates a probability is 1 percent or less that the relationship could be zero or negative.
All of the business measures fail to correlate with economic performance with the exception of the Forbes Best Business Climate Index. The correlation for Forbes is low to modest .234 in 2009 and .284 in 2015. And the probabilities that these could be zero or negative relationships are 10.3 percent in 2009 and 4.6 percent in 2015. This particular index is most sensitive to including changes in GDP per job as part of Economic Performance. When that portion is weighted more, Forbes’ index improves. When it is omitted, Forbes’ index drops off. The other business indices failed no matter what components and weights were included in Economic Performance.
However, even Forbes’ best states for business index comes nowhere close to how well each of the education measures correlate with economic performance.
The correlation of economic performance with 2005-2009 free and reduced lunch-adjusted 8th grade NAEP scores was .409. The correlation with 2003-2009 High School Graduation rates was, as already noted, .571. The 2012-2013 Economically-adjusted High School Graduation rates correlate with economic performance at .480. Finally, the correlation with the percent change in adults age 25-64 with an Associate Degree or higher was .406. The probabilities for all four of these education measures being positively correlated with Economic Performance was better than 99 percent. In addition, the NAEP result correlates very strong with the High School Graduation rate. The Economic Performance Index’s findings for education were robust through seven different formulations of the index which adjusted factors included and the weight of certain growth factors. No matter what the specification, the correlation with education was strongly positively correlated with economic performance.
When the education rankings are averaged across the states and re-ranked, the combined education indicators correlate 0.6 with economic performance, more than twice the correlation of the best business index.
Collectively, when the education rankings are averaged across the states and re-ranked, the combined education indicators correlate 0.6 with economic performance, more than twice the correlation of the best business index, Forbes, and six times greater than the typical business climate index’s correlation with economic performance.
The full study also finds that all the business indices correlated better with a political index (state percentage vote in 2012 for Romney) or in some cases something not related to economic performance at all, the final NCAA Men’s public state university basketball rankings (a.k.a. March Madness), than they did with economic performance.
Findings relative to Economic Performance are detailed in Table 2 (below).
Measure ECONOMIC PERFORMANCECorrelation with 4-Factor Ranking of 14 and 6 year growth in both Real GDP per Job and Per Capita Personal Income, Unemployment with Underemployment, and how equally growth is distributed, 1 to 50. CORRELATES withECONOMIC PERFORMANCE?
ALEC 2009 Economic Outlook Ranking .003(.983)
Chief Exec. Magazine CEO Survey 2009 -.035(.810)
Chief Exec. Magazine CEO Survey 2016 .016(.911)
Forbes Best Business Climate 2009 .234*(.103)
Forbes Best Business Climate 2015 .284**(.046)
Tax Foundation Business Tax Climate 2010 .030(.834)
2005-2009 NAEP free and reduced lunch-adjusted 8th grade reading and math scores .409***(.003)
2003-2009 Average High School Graduation Rate .571***(.000)
2012-2013Economically-adjusted High School Graduation Rate .480***(.000)
2005-2012 Percent Change in adults 25-64 with Associate degree or higher .406***(.003)
All FourThree (High School, NAEP, Assoc. Degree)Three (High School Adj., NAEP, Assoc. Degree) .610***(.000).598***(.000) .579***(.000)
Business Climate indices may get a lot of press and emphasis from policymakers, but they do not correlate with Economic Performance. Education measures do. The educational attainment of its labor force is probably the most important area for a state to focus on, if it wishes to improve its economic performance. Improvements take investments, not simply policy moves.
Figure 2 summarizes the results of Table 2. Educational outcomes have a dramatically stronger correlation with economic performance than any of the business measures.
The educational attainment of its labor force is probably the most important area for a state to focus on, if it wishes to improve its economic performance.
Educational outcomes will continue to impact Arizona, as the K-12 system prepares a future workforce. Arizona’s 8th grade NAEP free and reduced lunch-adjusted improvement in 2013-2015 relative to 2005-2009 is the fifth highest in the nation. This outcome suggests a good initial trajectory and worth a more careful examination.
High School graduation rates though look less promising. The 2012 and 2013 graduation rates for Arizona were only modestly higher than the average of 2003 to 2009. Many other states improved more and Arizona’s relative ranking dropped to 42nd from 37th. , using the Average Freshman Graduation Rate. Looking at the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate, Arizona is one of only three states that had has seen its graduation rate drop from the class of 2011 to the class of 2014. The drop in Arizona from 78 percent to 75.7 percent (-2.3 percent) is the largest drop in the country. Arizona’s graduation rate is the sixth lowest in the country.
Arizona has been a leader in cutting taxes including a so-called jobs bill that reduces taxes by more than half a billion dollars annually during this decade. Arizona has also been a leader in “school choice,” while at the same time falling significantly behind other states in its level of educational investment. Prop. 123 was a good initial step to rectify the failure of Arizona’s lawmakers to meet the legal minimum funding for K-12 education, but real improvement will take a more significant targeted investment in education,
Measure ECONOMIC PERFORMANCECorrelation with 4-Factor Ranking of 14 and 6 year growth in both Real GDP per job and Per Capita Personal Income, Unemployment with Underemployment, and how equally growth is distributed, 1 to 50. CORRELATES with ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE?
Arizona has been a leader in cutting taxes including a so-called jobs bill that reduces taxes by more than half a billion dollars annually during this decade. Arizona has also been a leader in “school choice,” while at the same time falling significantly behind other states in its level of educational investment. Prop. 123 was a good initial step to rectify the failure of Arizona’s lawmakers to meet the legal minimum funding for K-12 education, but real improvement will take a more significant targeted investment in education.
In June when the Center for the Future of Arizona and the Arizona Commerce Authority announced they’d be tracking six measures that they felt correlated with an improved economy, a debate in the opinion pages of the Arizona Republic ensued over whether these were the best measures. Some critics cited other lists from the American Legislative Exchange Council and Forbes Magazine.[1]
This report examines Arizona’s economic performance and what does correlate with better performance. Frequently, policymakers cite various lists as evidence that their policies are improving Arizona’s economic status. Yet rarely are these lists scrutinized for their effectiveness. This study goes back to best business climate lists from 2009 as well as currently to see how well, in fact, they correlate with better economic performance.
One central dispute surrounds “jobs.” Many indices center on job-creation as an end in itself, but the real economic goals should be reducing unemployment, so those seeking jobs find work, and improving the incomes of residents. Most economic growth measures focus too much on business costs elements or have their own preferred policies to rank highly. Generally, they lack sufficient educational elements, consequently while they do correlate with a half century trend in the movement of the population from the North and Midwest to the South, including the Southwest, this is because they conflate growth due to more people with growth that improves the standard of living. The latter should be the primary goal of our economic policies.
This study finds that business tax indices and business climate indices fail to correlate with improved economic conditions, but that education indicators: the high school graduation rate, free and reduced lunch-adjusted 8th grade NAEP scores, and growth in the percent of resident adults age 25-64 with at least an Associate degree do correlate quite well with economic performance.
Unfortunately, Arizona ranks last in economic performance and the area with the strongest connection, education, is where Arizona has not made a fiscal policy priority or substituted politically favored policies (e.g., “educational choice”) in place of significant investments. This study’s results suggest if Arizona wishes to improve its economic performance, it needs to realign its fiscal priorities from reducing revenues through tax cuts to improving educational investments.
Measuring Economic Growth
Economic growth is a long-term outcome of policy, demographic, and economic circumstance. Arizona, during periods of both higher and lower taxes, has had a fairly consistent pattern of population and employment growth exceeding the national average as shown in Figure 3.
Regression analysis estimates that the Arizona to United States Employment ratio increases by 0.027 percent per year during the time period and that regression estimate (solid line) very nearly matches actual performance during the first 35 years of the period, 1969-2004.
This represents an impressive period of relative population and employment growth that during this time period is only exceeded by Nevada.
The period since 2005 shows some abnormality from the past, exceeding the trend during the housing price boom, and then showing significant sluggishness since the 2008-2009 economic collapse. Nevada shows a similar pattern. Arizona and Nevada were two of the four states hardest hit by the housing price collapse. The other two, California and Florida, have shown better employment recoveries. These outcomes are shown in Table 3.
Employment as a Percent of National Total
Arizona California Nevada Florida
2005 1.88 11.74 0.89 5.88
2007 1.94 11.7 0.92 5.91
2009 1.87 11.5 0.87 5.7
2014 as % of 2007 96% 101% 95% 99%
2014 as % of 2010 99% 103% 100% 103%
Source: United States Regional Economic Analysis Project (US-REAP) and State Level Regional Economic Projects with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Consequently, historically, any economic growth measure that included job growth as a factor would show Arizona doing well from 1969-2007. But these changes are largely exogenous to state policy, as it has included times of higher investment in education with higher taxes and the more current experience of less comparative investment in education and reduced taxes. Arizona’s favorable climate, improved transportation, and geographical proximity to the nation’s most populous state, California, are likely the most significant factors for the relative growth.
Measuring Economic Performance
The state could continue to aim to grow numerically, but more likely a greater preference would be to grow by improving the economic standard for Arizona residents. To avoid confusion with the word “growth,” the term “Economic Performance” is used instead.
While a myriad of economic statistics exist. This study identifies four key factors that collectively give a good sense of economic performance:
For the period 2001-2015 and for the period 2009-2015
Growth for two periods averaged and states ranked
Captures last two business cycles with emphasis on the current one
Measure includes value of all goods and services produced in a state at constant prices. Divided by Jobs creates a productivity indicator.
Does not measure how the growth is distributed
Growth in Per Capita Personal Income
Measures all income accruing to persons residing in a state including incomes from salary, wages, property, investments and transfer payments (e.g., Social Security) and is a wider measure than Household income
It excludes retained corporate profits, changes in inventory valuation and business property depreciation
Average of U3 and U6 Unemployment Rate 2015 Q2: 2016 Q1 (latest year)
Measures labor market performance in providing jobs to residents
U3 is the standard unemployment rate. Those who have active sought employment in the last month divided by those employed plus those actively seeking work.
U6 is a broader measure of unemployment and underemployment. It adds to those unemployed under U3 anyone who has had a job or looked for one in the last 12 month, even if they are not currently working because they became discouraged or have obstacles (e.g., lack of reliable transportation) getting in the way. In addition, it includes those employed part-time but would like to work full-time, but either cannot find full-time work or obstacles (e.g., affordable or available child care) prevent it.
Gini Coefficient 2009-2014
Examines how growth is distributed across low, middle and high income residents
Gini Coefficient of 0 means all income is equally distributed
Gini Coefficient of 1 means all income is held by one person.
Looks at the change in personal income between 2009 and 2014 and how that change in income is distributed across households.
How well Business and Education Indices Correlate with Economic Performance
Numerous indices purport to have some connection with how poised for economic growth a state is. Data from 2009 and the most recent rankings were included. The 2009 rankings were used since they coincided with the start of the shorter-term period since the end of our recession and the beginning of private sector job growth. 2016 rankings were the most recent. For this review some of the ones frequently cited were used:
American Legislative Exchange Council (2009 and 2016 rankings)[2]
o ALEC’s Economic Outlook rankings are based on having top personal or corporate tax rates that are low, regressive income tax structures (if income goes up, tax burden going down is preferred), requiring that unionized workplaces be open (no one is required to join the union), low taxes overall, recent tax changes that reduce taxes, a low minimum wage, fewer state employees per 10,000 population, and expenditure controls on state government.
Chief Executive Magazine (2009 and 2016 rankings)[3]
o Chief Executive Magazine completes an annual survey of 513 CEO’s to rank states based on the “friendliness of their tax and regulatory regime, workforce quality and living environment (This latter category includes not just the cost of living but the education system and the state and local attitudes toward business).”[4]
Forbes Best States for Business (2009 and 2015 rankings)[5]
o Forbes factors in 40 data points across six areas to determine their rankings.[6]
Finally Quality of Life includes cost of living, public education test scores (may not be demographically adjusted), crime rates, average temperature, and cultural and recreational amenities.
Tax Foundation (2010 and 2016 Business Tax Climate Rankings)[7]
To these business rankings five measures of educational outcomes were examined, four specific educational outcomes plus a combined educational outcome measure.
o Includes 2005, 2007 and 2009, where a random selection of schools selected from each state designed to be representative.
o In 2009, 2005 cohort would be graduating from high school. In 2015, the 2007 cohort would include some graduating from college. This measure provided one indicator of school quality.
o Free and Reduced Lunch-adjusted students means that each state’s scores were split evenly between students on free and reduced lunch and those not qualifying for the program, so on that level all states were demographically identical. NAEP on line data does not enable more sophisticated controls for income and other aspects, e.g., ethnicity. The two sets of math and reading scores were then added for each year, then added across the three years of testing and the states ranked. To qualify for free and reduced lunch a student’s family must be no higher than 185 percent of the federal poverty line.
o Uses Average Freshman Graduation Rate (AFGR). Takes the number of students receiving high school diplomas divided by the size of its freshman class four years earlier. [8]
o Uses Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). Under the guidelines of No Child Left Behind, the National Center for Educational Statistics has developed a new student tracking based system that tracks actual students who were freshman and what percent of them actually graduate in four years. The 2011 graduating year was the first year data became available.[9]
o NCES data includes “economically disadvantaged” students but No Child Left Behind gave the states the ability to define what that constituted. The Everybody Graduates Center in the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University beginning with its annual report in 2014 for the class of 2012 breaks down for each state the percent of students considered “low income” and “nonlow income.” It also uses NCES data to indicate what the graduation rate for each state was for “low income” and “nonlow income” students. The economically-adjusted graduation rates averages the low income and nonlow income graduation rates for each state across the two years and then ranks them to create an economically-adjusted high school graduation rate that gives each state equivalent demographics across these two categories. [10]
o Certainly more people with higher levels of educational attainment correlate with higher incomes. This measure looks at data from the American Community Survey at the percentage change of prime working age adults 25-64 who have earned an Associate degree or higher. [11] This could reflect the impact of in-migration for higher quality jobs as well as improvement longer term residents’ educational credentials.
o Average ranking for states across the four education measures
This study takes each of these rankings and correlates them with the Economic Performance ranking as well as two others: percent vote for Mitt Romney for President in 2012, and a state ranking from of the leading state public universities from 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball.
Percent Romney 2012 is designed to test if the ranking is more political than economic in nature. Many indices look to see whether or not particular policies are in place in a given state. These policies are more often advocated by Republicans, e.g., low corporate tax rates. Percent Romney 2012 correlates modestly with Economic Performance at .283 with a probability of being greater than zero of 95 percent.
Percent Romney 2012 is designed to test if the ranking is more political than economic in nature. March Madness 2016 is the final April RPI for NCAA men’s basketball teams. It was designed to see if any ranking better correlated with something that had nothing to do with economic performance.
March Madness 2016 is the final April RPI for NCAA men’s basketball teams. The primary flagship state university was identified in each state based on conference prestige, and if conference was the same, the older or better recognized institution was used. Though in South Dakota, South Dakota State was chosen when the Univ. of South Dakota and South Dakota State looked similar, but South Dakota State simply had an extraordinarily good year for a lower conference team. Alaska does not have a division 1 men’s basketball team, so received a 50th ranking. The University of Arizona represented Arizona, the University of California-Berkeley represented California, and the University of Kansas represented Kansas to give a sense. Needless to say, March Madness 2016 was designed to see if any ranking better correlated with something that had nothing to do with economic performance.
Correlations range from -1 (perfectly negatively correlated) to +1 (perfectly positively correlated). To illustrate, among the 88 countries with a population of 10 million or more, there is a 0.72 correlation between the number of athletes sent to the Rio Olympics and the country’s Gross Domestic Product per person (or per capita). For instance, the Netherlands (pop. 14 million) has a per capita GDP of $49,200 and sent 237 athletes to Rio. Chile (pop. 17.5 million) has a per capita GDP of half as much $23,500 and sent 41 athletes, while Zambia (pop. 15 million) has a per capita GDP of $3,900 and sent only 7 athletes.[12] A country’s wealth may not be the only factor in the number of athletes sent, but it appears to be a significant one.
In this case we have two sets of rankings from best to worst, 1 to 50, and the question is whether a particular ranking correlates positively with economic performance.
The results are shown in Table 4. The bold numbers are the Pearson Correlation coefficients which range from -1 (perfectly negatively related) to +1 (perfectly positively related). However, one also needs to look at the significance, which is the probability that the relationship is in that direction (positive or negative) and not zero or the opposite direction. *** refers to the strongest relationship that is more than 99 percent likely to be in the direction found. ** refers to a very strong relationship that is at least 95 percent likely to be in the direction found. * refers to a fairly strong relationship that is at least 90 percent likely to be in the direction found. If any of the correlations met an asterisk threshold-then that index was noted as best predicting the particular indicator: March Madness, Romney Vote, and/or Economic Performance.
Table 4 shows that none of the business indices correlate with economic performance except the Forbes index—but all correlate with the Romney Vote and, unfortunately, even with March Madness. The ALEC and Chief Executive Magazine rankings have particularly strong correlations with the 2012 Romney vote and no correlation with Economic Performance. The Tax Foundation rankings shows a fairly similar pattern. These results are consistent with the findings of a 2014 W.P. Carey Study that also found state competitiveness rankings wanting. That study like this one found the ALEC Economic Outlook and Chief Exec. Magazine Survey indices had little economic validity. The more multi-faceted Forbes index performed better.[13]
Predictive Accuracy of Measures
Measure MARCH MADNESSCorrelation with Men’s College Basketball State University RPI Ranking (e.g. Univ. of Ariz. for Arizona, U of Kansas for Kansas, U of Kentucky for Kentucky, etc. ), 1 to 50. ROMNEY VOTECorrelation with states that had highest percentage voting Mitt Romney for President in 2012, 1 to 50. ECONOMIC PERFORMANCECorrelation with 4-Factor Ranking of 14 and 6 year growth in both real GDP per job and Per Capita Personal Income, Unemployment with Underemployment, and how equally growth is distributed, 1 to 50. BEST PREDICTS
ALEC 2009 Economic Outlook Ranking .283**(.047) .605***(.000) .003(.983)
ALEC 2016 Economic Outlook Ranking .273*(.055) .613***(.000) .098(.497)
Chief Exec. Magazine CEO Survey 2009 .202(.160) .476***(.000) -.035(.810)
Chief Exec. Magazine CEO Survey 2016 .251*(.079) .516***(.000) .016(.911)
Forbes Best Business Climate 2009 .212(.140) .274*(.054) .234*(.103)
Forbes Best Business Climate 2015 .308**(.030) .264*(.064) .284**(.046)
Tax Foundation Business Tax Climate 2010 -.048(.739) .354**(.012) .030(.834)
Tax Foundation Business Tax Climate 2016 .015(.916) .411***(.003) .060(.681)
2005-2009 NAEP free and reduced lunch-adjusted 8th grade reading and math scores -.249(.081) -.041(.777) .409***(.003)
2003-2009 Average High School Graduation Rate -.155(.283) -.059(.685) .571***(.000)
2012-2013Economically-adjusted High School Graduation Rate .011(.942) .128(.381) .480***(.000)
2005-2012 Percent Change in adults 25-64 with Associate degree or higher -.133(.358) .376***(.007) .406***(.003)
All FourThree (High School, NAEP, Assoc. Degree)Three (High School Adj., NAEP, Assoc. Degree) -.202(.160) -.246(.085) -.173(.230) .130(.369).111(.445).220(.124) .610***(.000).598***(.000) .579***(.000)
In sharp contrast, the four individual educational measures plus the three combined educational outcome measures by far have the highest correlation with economic performance with the Associate degree measure also strongly correlating with the Romney Vote. Among business indices, generally the less focused an index was on tax policy, the more likely it was to correlate with the Economic Performance index, so the Forbes index correlated better than the other business climate indices. But that index also correlated with March Madness and the Romney Vote. All the business indices correlated well with the Romney Vote, and only the Tax Foundation avoided the ignominy of a March Madness correlation, but it also had zero correlation with Economic Performance.
The findings are robust as seven variations of the Economic Performance Index were developed to verify the strength of results. All seven education measures maintained their strong positive correlations for all seven variations of the Economic Performance index, while business indices repeated failed except for the Forbes Index for measures that emphasized growth in real Gross Domestic Product per Job or per capita real state Gross Domestic Product growth.[14]
So while you may wish to consult some of these business indices before filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket, if your interest is in economic performance, then improving educational outcomes correlates most strongly with results.
Economic Performance Index in Detail
Growth in Real State Gross Domestic Product per Job since last two recessions
The findings are robust as seven variations of the Economic Performance Index were developed to verify the strength of results.Education measures maintained their strong positive correlations in all seven.
Real Gross State Domestic Product captures the added value of all new goods and services produced in the state measured in inflation-adjusted dollars, so increases in output, not higher prices increase it. Those goods and services are produced by individual proprietors and those employed by others. So dividing it by total employment gives us an indicator of the economy’s productivity. Total jobs for the Bureau of Economic Analysis includes full-time and part-time work. It includes wage and salary jobs as well as sole proprietors and individual general partners. It excludes unpaid family workers and volunteers. By using 2001 and 2009 as starting years, similar points in the business cycle are used to evaluate a longer-term and shorter-term performance. The focus is on growth, not absolute values, so states with higher real GDP per job, such as Delaware, are not privileged. To create the ranking each state’s growth from 2001-2014 and 2009-2014 were averaged and the states were then ranked.
However, the benefits of real GDP need not stay in the state. Corporate profits, for instance, may go to entities and individuals outside the state. Much of the growth early in the expansion went to profits. Some states in Table 5 show negative growth during the time periods, largely due to the depth of the 2008-2009 downturn in those states and their relatively weak recovery.
Growth in Real State Gross Domestic Product Per Job (2009 dollars)
2001-2014 2009-2014 Average of two
State 2001 2009 2014 Growth Growth Growth Rank
United States $76,992 $82,189 $84,247 9.4% 2.5% 6.0%
Alabama 63,666 67,979 70,254 10.3% 3.3% 6.8% 23
Alaska 95,233 113,860 106,701 12.0% -6.3% 2.9% 39
Arizona 72,876 74,478 74,747 2.6% 0.4% 1.5% 42
Arkansas 57,816 64,604 69,585 20.4% 7.7% 14.0% 7
California 84,880 95,501 96,137 13.3% 0.7% 7.0% 21
Colorado 75,398 78,846 80,765 7.1% 2.4% 4.8% 32
Connecticut 98,853 103,093 101,463 2.6% -1.6% 0.5% 44
Delaware 102,206 107,209 106,161 3.9% -1.0% 1.4% 43
Florida 70,484 72,645 70,188 -0.4% -3.4% -1.9% 48
Georgia 77,441 76,231 76,211 -1.6% 0.0% -0.8% 47
Hawaii 70,545 77,371 78,241 10.9% 1.1% 6.0% 26
Idaho 56,560 60,963 62,126 9.8% 1.9% 5.9% 28
Illinois 83,609 87,346 88,790 6.2% 1.7% 3.9% 35
Indiana 68,813 74,691 78,785 14.5% 5.5% 10.0% 11
Iowa 60,275 69,724 75,547 25.3% 8.4% 16.8% 2
Kansas 61,262 67,338 69,769 13.9% 3.6% 8.7% 14
Kentucky 63,632 67,060 70,373 10.6% 4.9% 7.8% 19
Louisiana 77,766 82,716 78,248 0.6% -5.4% -2.4% 49
Maine 59,686 62,581 62,030 3.9% -0.9% 1.5% 41
Maryland 81,172 90,032 91,275 12.4% 1.4% 6.9% 22
Massachusetts 85,998 92,826 94,667 10.1% 2.0% 6.0% 25
Michigan 74,335 72,847 76,642 3.1% 5.2% 4.2% 33
Minnesota 71,333 75,804 81,294 14.0% 7.2% 10.6% 9
Mississippi 56,685 61,546 60,996 7.6% -0.9% 3.4% 38
Missouri 67,386 70,669 71,682 6.4% 1.4% 3.9% 36
Montana 52,404 57,577 61,757 17.8% 7.3% 12.6% 8
Nebraska 62,367 70,965 77,125 23.7% 8.7% 16.2% 5
Nevada 78,393 78,397 75,981 -3.1% -3.1% -3.1% 50
New Hampshire 68,358 73,708 76,756 12.3% 4.1% 8.2% 16
New Jersey 95,444 97,019 96,618 1.2% -0.4% 0.4% 45
New Mexico 71,769 76,947 78,705 9.7% 2.3% 6.0% 27
New York 99,838 104,404 106,111 6.3% 1.6% 4.0% 34
North Carolina 71,972 78,084 77,613 7.8% -0.6% 3.6% 37
North Dakota 51,952 65,965 85,587 64.7% 29.7% 47.2% 1
Ohio 70,772 73,915 79,212 11.9% 7.2% 9.5% 12
Oklahoma 60,700 66,846 74,075 22.0% 10.8% 16.4% 4
Oregon 62,422 82,276 82,940 32.9% 0.8% 16.8% 3
Pennsylvania 76,267 79,889 83,297 9.2% 4.3% 6.7% 24
Rhode Island 76,052 81,719 83,247 9.5% 1.9% 5.7% 29
South Carolina 65,593 67,860 67,988 3.7% 0.2% 1.9% 40
South Dakota 54,839 65,812 68,493 24.9% 4.1% 14.5% 6
Tennessee 65,725 69,745 72,809 10.8% 4.4% 7.6% 20
Texas 78,893 82,169 88,961 12.8% 8.3% 10.5% 10
Utah 64,728 70,288 71,137 9.9% 1.2% 5.6% 30
Vermont 56,511 60,774 63,283 12.0% 4.1% 8.1% 17
Virginia 78,599 85,772 86,154 9.6% 0.4% 5.0% 31
Washington 83,081 91,978 94,706 14.0% 3.0% 8.5% 15
West Virginia 65,953 70,386 73,557 11.5% 4.5% 8.0% 18
Wisconsin 66,718 71,455 75,338 12.9% 5.4% 9.2% 13
Wyoming 80,584 96,455 87,297 8.3% -9.5% -0.6% 46
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
Growth in Per Capita Personal Income since last two recessions
Personal Income measures all incomes accruing to people who reside in the state. [15] However, not all of it is wages and salaries. About one-third of it is dividends, interest and rent (DIR) as well as transfer payments (e.g., Social Security). These passive income earning activities may not originate in the state. However, DIR and transfer payments are an important component of individual well-being.[16] Per capita state personal income is that income per person residing in the state. By using 2001 and 2009 as starting years, similar points in the business cycle are used to evaluate a longer-term and shorter-term performance. If the absolute value of state personal income were used, then states like Connecticut and Massachusetts, which are wealthier would rank at the top. However, growth in per capita state personal income allows each state to use its own starting points as the reference. So if as Arizona Republic columnist Rob Robb has argued Arizona has more kids and retirees and a lower labor force participation rate, when focusing on growth, Arizona is not at a disadvantage relative to Massachusetts. Likewise, even though rural areas have lower incomes than urban areas, when one focuses on growth, improvements in rural or urban areas can lead to higher per capita state personal income. When Arizona has 80 percent of the nation’s per capita personal income, if both grow by ten percent, the ratio is still 80 percent.
Impactful growth happens over time, so looking at longer term as well as shorter term performance enables a sense of the state’s economic fundamentals, giving a bit more weight to the shorter-term, but in a longer-term context. So as with real GDP per job growth, each state’s growth in per capital personal income from 2001-2015 was averaged with 2009-2015 and then the states were ranked.
While it’s true, as Arizona Republic columnist Rob Robb argues that a state’s per capita personal income masks how it is distributed, growth does give us one indicator of economic prosperity.[17] Likewise, the Heritage Institute’s Stephen Moore and Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Scot Mussi, critiqued the measure because the cost of living varies across states.[18] However, unless the relative cost of living is changing, when one focuses on growth, differences in the cost of living are irrelevant. In addition since 2008, the Bureau of Economic Analysis has created a Regional Price Parity Index annually for each state (100=National Average). Arizona’s index in 2009 was 100.1, but by 2014 it had dropped to 96.4, indicating the cost of living had fallen compared to the country, so Arizona’s growth for 2009-2014 was upwardly adjusted from 14.7 percent ((39,060-34,063)/34,063) to 15.2 percent (14.7/.963) as seen in Table 6.
Table 6 shows results and rankings for the 50 states. The time period covered has been an especially strong one for energy producing states. Consequently, some of the highest performing but sparsely populated states had growing and prosperous energy sectors, especially, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Oklahoma. As the recent financial collapse from falling energy prices in Oklahoma has spotlighted, this may not correspond with their long-run prospects. Arizona’s performance ranks near the bottom. All figures are in current dollars, not adjusted for inflation, which is why growth figures are larger than in Table 5.
Growth in Per Capita Personal Income (current dollars)
2009-2014 2001-2015 2009-2015 Average of two
State 2001 2009 2015 RPPRatio Growth Growth Growth Rank
United States 31,540 39,376 47,669 1.000 51.1% 21.1% 36.1%
Alabama 25,569 33,027 38,965 1.003 52.4% 17.9% 35.2% 31
Alaska 32,870 46,192 55,940 0.989 70.2% 21.3% 45.8% 4
Arizona 27,220 34,063 39,060 0.963 43.5% 15.2% 29.4% 47
Arkansas 23,873 31,629 39,107 1.010 63.8% 23.4% 43.6% 7
California 34,091 41,588 52,651 0.996 54.4% 26.7% 40.6% 11
Colorado 35,247 41,508 50,410 1.009 43.0% 21.3% 32.1% 42
Connecticut 43,696 55,505 66,972 0.986 53.3% 21.0% 37.1% 22
Delaware 33,994 41,633 47,662 0.987 40.2% 14.7% 27.4% 49
Florida 30,574 37,479 44,101 0.991 44.2% 17.8% 31.0% 45
Georgia 29,594 34,396 40,551 0.988 37.0% 18.1% 27.6% 48
Hawaii 29,648 41,093 47,753 0.997 61.1% 16.2% 38.7% 15
Idaho 26,075 31,392 37,509 0.985 43.9% 19.8% 31.8% 44
Illinois 33,755 41,529 49,471 0.998 46.6% 19.2% 32.9% 38
Indiana 28,652 33,588 40,998 1.000 43.1% 22.1% 32.6% 39
Iowa 28,367 38,123 44,971 1.015 58.5% 17.7% 38.1% 18
Kansas 29,789 38,889 45,876 1.012 54.0% 17.7% 35.9% 28
Kentucky 25,733 32,251 38,989 1.000 51.5% 20.9% 36.2% 26
Louisiana 25,121 36,348 43,252 1.000 72.2% 19.0% 45.6% 5
Maine 28,279 36,586 42,077 0.990 48.8% 15.2% 32.0% 43
Maryland 36,819 48,739 56,127 0.991 52.4% 15.3% 33.9% 35
Massachusetts 39,774 50,296 61,032 0.992 53.4% 21.5% 37.5% 19
Michigan 30,245 34,159 42,427 0.988 40.3% 24.5% 32.4% 40
Minnesota 33,326 41,064 50,541 0.999 51.7% 23.1% 37.4% 21
Mississippi 22,806 30,188 35,444 1.010 55.4% 17.2% 36.3% 24
Missouri 28,794 36,306 42,752 1.017 48.5% 17.5% 33.0% 37
Montana 24,751 33,627 41,280 0.997 66.8% 22.8% 44.8% 6
Nebraska 30,178 39,226 48,006 1.011 59.1% 22.1% 40.6% 10
Nevada 31,789 36,931 42,185 0.970 32.7% 14.7% 23.7% 50
New Hampshire 35,147 43,936 54,817 0.989 56.0% 25.0% 40.5% 12
New Jersey 40,227 50,300 59,782 1.011 48.6% 18.7% 33.6% 36
New Mexico 25,264 32,293 38,457 1.006 52.2% 19.0% 35.6% 30
New York 36,308 47,655 57,705 1.003 58.9% 21.0% 40.0% 14
North Carolina 28,484 34,944 40,656 0.996 42.7% 16.4% 29.6% 46
North Dakota 26,540 39,422 54,376 1.028 104.9% 36.9% 70.9% 1
Ohio 29,418 35,530 43,478 1.000 47.8% 22.4% 35.1% 32
Oklahoma 26,572 34,578 44,272 1.007 66.6% 27.8% 47.2% 3
Oregon 29,342 35,390 42,974 1.001 46.5% 21.4% 33.9% 34
Pennsylvania 31,524 40,785 49,180 1.000 56.0% 20.6% 38.3% 16
Rhode Island 31,574 41,081 50,080 0.987 58.6% 22.2% 40.4% 13
South Carolina 25,859 32,499 38,041 0.989 47.1% 17.2% 32.2% 41
South Dakota 28,440 38,661 45,002 1.026 58.2% 16.0% 37.1% 23
Tennessee 28,147 34,468 42,069 0.997 49.5% 22.1% 35.8% 29
Texas 29,717 37,037 46,745 1.002 57.3% 26.2% 41.7% 8
Utah 25,712 32,428 39,045 0.992 51.9% 20.6% 36.2% 25
Vermont 29,968 39,268 47,864 1.006 59.7% 21.8% 40.7% 9
Virginia 33,711 44,458 52,136 0.991 54.7% 17.4% 36.0% 27
Washington 33,241 42,248 51,146 1.001 53.9% 21.0% 37.5% 20
West Virginia 23,306 31,429 37,047 1.016 59.0% 17.6% 38.3% 17
Wisconsin 30,473 38,320 45,617 1.005 49.7% 18.9% 34.3% 33
Wyoming 30,736 43,153 55,303 1.001 79.9% 28.1% 54.0% 2
Average of U3 and U6 Unemployment Rates
Rather than focus on the numerical number of jobs created, this study looks at the operation of the state-level labor market in meeting the demand and supply for workers. Newly created jobs may or may not employ currently unemployed state residents. Instead people may move into the state to fill those jobs. Consequently, the unemployment rate gives a better picture of whether the pace of job creation is adequate for a given state. Underperforming economic areas frequently suffer from chronically higher unemployment.
Six state unemployment rates tracked by the federal government are defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as follows:[19]
U-1, persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force;
U-2, job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force;
U-3, total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (the definition used for the official unemployment rate-must have actively looked for work in the last month to be included);
U-4, total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers;
U-5, total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all other marginally attached workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers; and
U-6, total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers, including discouraged workers.
U-3 is the conventional unemployment rate that is widely publicized each month. To be part of the labor force, if not currently employed, one needs to have actively looked for work in the past month. U-6 is the widest measure of the underutilization of potential workers. It includes those who would like to be employed but have become discouraged and did not actively look for work in the past month, but have held a job or looked for work in the past 12 months or since last being employed within the last 12 months. The marginally attached are also available for work and have looked for work in the past 12 months or since last being employed within the last 12 months. They are the wider subset that includes discouraged workers. In addition, some workers are employed part-time, but would like to be employed full-time. However, either cannot find full-time work or have obstacles preventing access to full-time employment (e.g., lack of childcare).
Given the depth of the last recession, which struck some states, including Arizona, much harder than others, using the latest year’s unemployment rates—the last three quarters of 2015 and first quarter of 2016—seems most appropriate. The country is now in the seventh year of a recovery—which should provide even the harder hit states ample time to recover. The results are illustrated in Table 7.
Unemployment rates reveal some of the states that had high per capita income growth, such as California, 4th in shorter-term, and Louisiana, 3rd in the longer-term, show significant labor market inefficiencies ranking 45th and 42nd in Table 7, respectively. Among states hit hard by the housing crisis, Florida comes closest seven years into the recovery of approaching the national average in unemployment. Arizona is 44th and Nevada 50th.
State Unemployment Rates 2015 Q2 to 2016 Q1
State U-3 U-6 U-3 with U-6 Average Rank
United States 5.1 10.1 7.6
Alabama 6.2 10.9 8.55 43
Alaska 6.5 12 9.25 47
Arizona 5.9 11.7 8.8 44
Arkansas 4.7 9 6.85 21
California 5.9 12 8.95 45
Colorado 3.5 7.5 5.5 6
Connecticut 5.6 10.7 8.15 33
Delaware 4.9 9.2 7.05 24
Florida 5.2 11 8.1 32
Georgia 5.7 11.2 8.45 39
Hawaii 3.5 9.1 6.3 11
Idaho 4.2 8.4 6.3 12
Illinois 6 11 8.5 41
Indiana 4.7 8.8 6.75 20
Iowa 3.8 6.9 5.35 5
Kansas 4.2 8 6.1 10
Kentucky 5.5 10.5 8 31
Louisiana 6.2 10.8 8.5 42
Maine 4 9.3 6.65 19
Maryland 5 8.8 6.9 22
Massachusetts 4.7 9.6 7.15 25
Michigan 5.2 11.2 8.2 34
Minnesota 3.7 8 5.85 8
Mississippi 6.3 11.6 8.95 46
Missouri 4.6 8.7 6.65 18
Montana 4.2 9 6.6 17
Nebraska 3.3 6.6 4.95 3
Nevada 6.5 13.4 9.95 50
New Hampshire 3.1 7.4 5.25 4
New Jersey 5.2 9.5 7.35 27
New Mexico 6.7 12.4 9.55 49
New York 5.1 10.2 7.65 28
North Carolina 5.8 11 8.4 38
North Dakota 2.8 5.3 4.05 1
Ohio 4.8 9.8 7.3 26
Oklahoma 4.6 8.3 6.45 15
Oregon 5.4 11.2 8.3 35
Pennsylvania 5.2 10.7 7.95 30
Rhode Island 5.7 11 8.35 37
South Carolina 5.7 11.2 8.45 40
South Dakota 2.9 5.4 4.15 2
Tennessee 5.2 10.2 7.7 29
Texas 4.4 8.3 6.35 13
Utah 3.6 7.7 5.65 7
Vermont 3.6 8.1 5.85 9
Virginia 4.2 9.7 6.95 23
Washington 5.7 10.9 8.3 36
West Virginia 6.8 11.9 9.35 48
Wisconsin 4.5 8.3 6.4 14
Wyoming 4.4 8.5 6.45 16
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Gini Coefficient is a measure of economic inequality. As noted earlier, growth in neither state GDP nor personal income does not indicate its distribution. This particular recovery has been well-documented as favoring the top 1 percent.[20] Unemployment gives one sense of remaining inequality, but the Gini Coefficient is a better overall measure. A Gini Coefficient of 0 represents perfect equality and a coefficient of 1 is the greatest inequality possible.
Figure 4 illustrates how a Gini Coefficient is calculated. The distribution of income across households is captured by the Lorenz Curve. The x-axis captures the share of the population, starting with the lowest earning. The y-axis captures the share of total income by each segment of the population. If each segment earned the same, it would match the “Line of Equality” and A would equal zero.
The Bureau of the Census uses household data from the annual American Community Survey to estimate Gini coefficient’s for individual states. Some states have far more inequality than others (e.g., New York and Connecticut). The objective is not to focus on absolute levels of inequality but to measure how changes in income have been distributed. Thus, a Gini Coefficient was calculated to determine given the level of growth in personal income in a state from 2009 to 2014, how the income would need to be distributed to account for the change in the Gini Coefficient from 2009 to 2014 (data for 2015 not yet available). This combined with the earlier measure of the growth of per capita personal income gives a more well-rounded sense of how well the growth has been distributed among a state’s residents.
Table 8 shows that the most equitable growth patterns occurred in West Virginia, Nebraska, and South Dakota while the least equitable growth was in Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Arizona also ranks among the least equitable growth states at 42nd place, while here is one place where Nevada outperforms Arizona considerably as the 15th lowest.
Gini Coefficients for States 2009, 2014 and 2009-2014
State 2009 2014 2009-2014 Gini Rank
United States 0.469 0.4804 0.533
Alabama 0.471 0.4758 0.506 20
Alaska 0.402 0.4175 0.484 8
Arizona 0.451 0.4676 0.559 42
Arkansas 0.461 0.4714 0.518 28
California 0.467 0.4890 0.573 43
Colorado 0.453 0.4584 0.479 7
Connecticut 0.480 0.5005 0.614 48
Delaware 0.434 0.4494 0.541 35
Florida 0.469 0.4834 0.550 38
Georgia 0.469 0.4801 0.539 32
Hawaii 0.425 0.4325 0.474 6
Idaho 0.421 0.4541 0.598 46
Illinois 0.469 0.4765 0.525 30
Indiana 0.434 0.4455 0.502 16
Iowa 0.431 0.4433 0.503 17
Kansas 0.444 0.4597 0.545 36
Kentucky 0.464 0.4704 0.505 19
Louisiana 0.473 0.4902 0.578 45
Maine 0.432 0.4593 0.699 50
Maryland 0.448 0.4491 0.456 4
Massachusetts 0.468 0.4863 0.574 44
Michigan 0.453 0.4598 0.495 13
Minnesota 0.439 0.4539 0.518 27
Mississippi 0.470 0.4760 0.515 23
Missouri 0.450 0.4628 0.540 34
Montana 0.431 0.4544 0.554 40
Nebraska 0.440 0.4352 0.417 2
Nevada 0.433 0.4427 0.501 15
New Hampshire 0.431 0.4410 0.488 12
New Jersey 0.465 0.4757 0.539 33
New Mexico 0.453 0.4770 0.613 47
New York 0.502 0.5111 0.558 41
North Carolina 0.464 0.4748 0.535 31
North Dakota 0.450 0.4664 0.495 14
Ohio 0.453 0.4637 0.518 29
Oklahoma 0.460 0.4660 0.485 11
Oregon 0.443 0.4624 0.553 39
Pennsylvania 0.460 0.4686 0.516 24
Rhode Island 0.457 0.4827 0.626 49
South Carolina 0.462 0.4687 0.504 18
South Dakota 0.452 0.4468 0.425 3
Tennessee 0.467 0.4811 0.545 37
Texas 0.474 0.4827 0.508 21
Utah 0.414 0.4283 0.484 9
Vermont 0.428 0.4406 0.508 22
Virginia 0.456 0.4658 0.517 26
Washington 0.439 0.4542 0.517 25
West Virginia 0.463 0.4546 0.399 1
Wisconsin 0.432 0.4397 0.485 10
Wyoming 0.415 0.4270 0.465 5
Source: Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey and calculations from change in personal income to derive 2009-2014l Gini by author. Bureau of Census state Gini coefficients found here http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk.
Putting these four factors (growth in real state Gross Domestic Product per job and state per capita Personal Income over 14 and 6 years, unemployment rate, and Gini Coefficient for 2009-2014) together, enables a ranking of the 50 states for their economic performance as shown in Table 9. Unfortunately, Arizona is the only state falling in the bottom ten for every measure, and, consequently is last. An earlier version of this study done six years ago that covered more prosperous times found Arizona ranked 34th, better, but still not a top performing state.[21]
State Rank by Economic Performance Variable
State GDP per Job 2001/2009-2014 PC PI 2001/2009-2015 Unemployment Rate Gini2009-2014 Avg. Rank ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
Alabama 23 31 43 20 29.25 30
Alaska 39 4 47 8 24.5 24
California 21 11 45 43 30 32
Colorado 32 42 6 7 21.75 19
Idaho 28 44 12 46 32.5 36
Indiana 11 39 20 16 21.5 18
Kansas 14 28 10 36 22 20
Kentucky 19 26 31 19 23.75 22
Louisiana 49 5 42 45 35.25 39
Maryland 22 35 22 4 20.75 16
Massachusetts 25 19 25 44 28.25 28
Michigan 33 40 34 13 30 33
Mississippi 38 24 46 23 32.75 37
Missouri 36 37 18 34 31.25 34
New Jersey 45 36 27 33 35.25 39
New York 34 14 28 41 29.25 30
Ohio 12 32 26 29 24.75 25
Oregon 3 34 35 39 27.75 27
Pennsylvania 24 16 30 24 23.5 21
Rhode Island 29 13 37 49 32 35
South Carolina 40 41 40 18 34.75 37
Tennessee 20 29 29 37 28.75 28
Virginia 31 27 23 26 26.75 26
Washington 15 20 36 25 24 23
West Virginia 18 17 48 1 21 17
While the economy is complex and evolving and policymakers seek to improve Arizona’s economic performance, it’s time to pivot from an economy that is focused primarily on increasing jobs and population to one that aims to improve the standard of living of the state’s residents.
For years Arizona has followed “business climate” ideologies, focused especially on tax structures, and prioritized reducing tax revenue over investments in its educational system.
If Arizona wants to improve its economic performance, educational investments are the best place to start.
However, when one looks at quality economic performance, Arizona falls far short of other states. Part of that is a consequence of the housing bubble and subsequent economic collapse that hit Arizona particularly hard, but even before that Arizona’s performance was middling, not stellar.
If Arizona wants to improve its economic performance, educational investments are the best place to start. Prop. 123 was an important first step in rectifying a near-decade of neglect, but the infusion of funds in Prop. 123 are primarily in resetting the base per student funding rate. Even for that the state is relying extensively on the School Trust Fund to find sufficient revenues. If Arizona wants to move from the bottom or middling states, it needs to explore how to make significant new investments in education, so as to boost the educational attainment of its residents.
Dave Wells holds a doctorate in Political Economy and Public Policy and is the Research Director for the Grand Canyon Institute, a centrist fiscal policy think tank founded in 2011. He can be reached at DWells@azgci.org or contact the Grand Canyon Institute at (602) 595-1025.
The Grand Canyon Institute, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, is a centrist think tank led by a bipartisan group of former state lawmakers, economists, community leaders and academicians. The Grand Canyon Institute serves as an independent voice reflecting a pragmatic approach to addressing economic, fiscal, budgetary and taxation issues confronting Arizona.
Grand Canyon Institute
Phoenix, Arizona 85001-1008
GrandCanyonInsitute.org
Appendix (data used in the study)
State Econ Performance % Romney March Madness ALEC 2009 ALEC 2016 Chief Exec 2009 Chief Exec 2016
Alabama 30 7 25 16 21 14 20
Alaska 24 18 50 38 25 5 30
Arizona 50 22 13 3 5 8 6
Arkansas 10 6 35 12 20 35 23
California 32 45 11 43 46 50 50
Colorado 19 31 19 2 16 10 15
Connecticut 42 40 14 32 47 38 46
Delaware 43 43 47 31 44 12 13
Florida 47 25 18 11 8 3 2
Georgia 49 23 21 8 19 4 8
Hawaii 9 50 23 41 42 41 44
Idaho 36 4 30 14 15 16 21
Illinois 41 41 39 44 43 45 48
Indiana 18 20 10 17 6 11 5
Iowa 5 30 12 35 29 19 17
Kansas 20 10 1 24 27 21 26
Kentucky 22 8 7 36 33 23 24
Louisiana 39 14 27 18 28 43 37
Maine 45 39 49 47 38 32 33
Maryland 16 46 9 28 31 31 43
Massachusetts 28 44 42 26 26 46 45
Michigan 33 35 20 34 22 48 40
Minnesota 11 34 46 40 45 33 34
Mississippi 37 17 29 19 17 30 42
Missouri 34 21 45 23 24 26 29
Montana 14 16 38 30 40 27 25
Nebraska 2 9 41 29 32 28 27
Nevada 48 33 28 7 14 6 9
New Hampshire 6 29 40 37 23 18 28
New Jersey 39 42 48 46 48 47 47
New Mexico 45 36 36 25 34 34 32
New York 30 48 31 50 50 49 49
North Carolina 44 24 4 21 2 2 3
North Dakota 1 12 44 13 3 17 22
Ohio 25 26 24 45 18 44 10
Oklahoma 3 3 5 15 10 22 18
Oregon 27 37 3 39 41 24 39
Pennsylvania 21 28 32 42 39 29 36
Rhode Island 35 47 33 48 35 39 41
South Carolina 37 19 22 20 30 9 7
South Dakota 4 13 17 5 11 13 19
Tennessee 28 11 37 9 7 5 4
Texas 7 15 15 10 12 1 1
Utah 14 1 6 1 1 15 16
Vermont 8 49 34 49 49 36 38
Virginia 26 27 2 4 13 7 12
Washington 23 38 26 22 36 40 31
West Virginia 17 5 8 33 37 37 35
Wisconsin 13 32 16 27 9 42 11
Wyoming 12 2 43 6 4 20 14
State Econ Performance % Romney March Madness Forbes 2009 Forbes 2015 Tax Foundation 2010 Tax Foundation 2016
Alaska 24 18 50 42 44 3 3
Arizona 50 22 13 36 23 28 24
Colorado 19 31 19 4 5 13 18
Delaware 43 43 47 21 17 8 14
Florida 47 25 18 18 20 5 4
Georgia 49 23 21 6 11 29 39
Montana 14 16 38 13 24 6 6
Nebraska 2 9 41 9 3 33 27
Nevada 48 33 28 31 34 4 5
New Hampshire 6 29 40 19 37 7 7
North Carolina 44 24 4 5 2 39 15
North Dakota 1 12 44 7 4 25 26
South Carolina 37 19 22 25 25 26 36
South Dakota 4 13 17 16 9 1 2
Tennessee 28 11 37 23 19 22 16
Texas 7 15 15 8 6 11 10
Utah 14 1 6 3 1 10 9
Virginia 26 27 2 1 7 15 30
Washington 23 38 26 2 10 9 12
Wisconsin 13 32 16 48 31 42 43
Wyoming 12 2 43 22 27 2 1
State Econ Performance % Romney March Madness NAEP High School High School (Economically adjusted) Assoc. or Higher
Alaska 24 18 50 35 41 47 15
Arkansas 10 6 35 38 27 11 8
Colorado 19 31 19 24 26 43 27
Florida 47 25 18 34 44 42 44
Georgia 49 23 21 37 47 46 39
Idaho 36 4 30 14 13 30
Indiana 18 20 10 21 34 6 9
Iowa 5 30 12 20 3 3 1
Kansas 20 10 1 6 20 8 24
Kentucky 22 8 7 26 29 5 16
Maine 45 39 49 8 21 13 28
Massachusetts 28 44 42 1 15 15 36
Minnesota 11 34 46 7 4 41 10
Missouri 34 21 45 25 11 9 13
Montana 14 16 38 4 10 19 34
Nebraska 2 9 41 19 5 4 6
Nevada 48 33 28 48 50 49 35
New Hampshire 6 29 40 9 12 16 18
New Jersey 39 42 48 11 6 14 47
North Carolina 44 24 4 28 39 27 26
North Dakota 1 12 44 3 7 17 3
Pennsylvania 21 28 32 17 9 18 7
South Dakota 4 13 17 5 8 32 45
Tennessee 28 11 37 40 40 2 5
Texas 7 15 15 13 33 1 41
Utah 14 1 6 32 18 31 14
Vermont 8 49 34 2 2 7 21
Virginia 26 27 2 22 22 26 19
Wisconsin 13 32 16 27 1 10 4
Wyoming 12 2 43 10 28 38 2
State Econ Performance-Balanced % Romney March Madness Educ. CombinedAll 4 Educ. Combined3 with HS Educ. Combined3 with HS Adj
Alabama 30 7 25 41 42 39
Alaska 24 18 50 38 33 36
Arizona 50 22 13 45 45 49
Arkansas 10 6 35 20 24 17
Colorado 19 31 19 32 26 34
Connecticut 42 40 14 28 32 35
Delaware 43 43 47 37 37 38
Florida 47 25 18 47 46 46
Georgia 49 23 21 49 47 48
Hawaii 9 50 23 39 43 41
Indiana 18 20 10 13 20 5
Iowa 5 30 12 1 3 2
Kansas 20 10 1 8 13 6
Kentucky 22 8 7 16 23 10
Louisiana 39 14 27 43 38 40
Maine 45 39 49 13 15 13
Maryland 16 46 9 26 27 31
Massachusetts 28 44 42 11 14 15
Minnesota 11 34 46 10 2 19
Mississippi 37 17 29 46 48 42
Missouri 34 21 45 8 12 10
Montana 14 16 38 11 11 17
Nebraska 2 9 41 4 5 3
Nevada 48 33 28 50 49 50
New Hampshire 6 29 40 7 8 9
New Jersey 39 42 48 18 20 23
New Mexico 45 36 36 47 43 44
New York 30 48 31 35 31 29
North Carolina 44 24 4 32 36 27
North Dakota 1 12 44 2 1 1
Ohio 25 26 24 15 10 19
Oklahoma 3 3 5 34 39 37
Oregon 27 37 3 29 18 27
Pennsylvania 21 28 32 6 7 8
South Carolina 37 19 22 36 33 24
South Dakota 4 13 17 24 17 29
Tennessee 28 11 37 21 29 10
Texas 7 15 15 22 30 16
Utah 14 1 6 25 20 25
Vermont 8 49 34 3 4 4
Virginia 26 27 2 23 18 22
West Virginia 17 5 8 30 35 33
Wisconsin 13 32 16 5 6 7
Wyoming 12 2 43 18 9 14
[1] Coor, Lattie and Sandra Watson (2016), “Our Turn: How Arizona can do better on jobs,” Arizona Republic, July 1, http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2016/07/01/arizona-jobs/86338762/ (accessed July 13, 2016).
[1] Robb, Robert (2016), “We’re measuring Arizona’s economy all wrong,“ Arizona Republic, July 8, http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/robertrobb/2016/07/08/arizona-economy/86823574/ (accessed July 13, 2016).
[1] Moore, Stephen and Scot Mussi (2016), “Our Turn: Arizona jobs report wrong—we’re better than this,” Arizona Republic, July 18, http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2016/07/18/arizona-job-creation-progress-wrong/86954452/ (accessed July 20, 2016).
[2] The American Legislative Exchange Council’s reports “Rich States, Poor States,” began in 2007. The 2009 (2nd edition) and 2016 (9th edition) can be accessed at their website https://www.alec.org/periodical/rich-states/ (accessed July 23, 2016).
[3] “2016 Best and Worst States for Business,” http://chiefexecutive.net/2016-best-and-worst-states-for-business-full-list/ (accessed July 23, 2016). The 2009 list is no longer publicly accessible on line, but can be found in an earlier version of this study: Wells, David (2010), “Corporate Tax Games: March to Madness or Economic Growth?” March 31, http://www.public.asu.edu/~wellsda/research/Corporate_Tax_Games.pdf (accessed August 9, 2016).
[4] “2016 Best and Worst States for Business” (2016), Chief Executive Magazine, May 11, http://chiefexecutive.net/why-do-some-areas-of-the-country-thrive-while-others-see-businesses-atrophy-and-people-flee-at-alarming-rates/, accessed July 23, 2016.
[5][5] “Best States for Business” (2015), Forbes Magazine, http://www.forbes.com/best-states-for-business/list/2/#tab:overall. For the 2009 list see Wells, David (2010), “Corporate Tax Games: March to Madness or Economic Growth?” March 31, http://www.public.asu.edu/~wellsda/research/Corporate_Tax_Games.pdf (accessed August 9, 2016).
[6] Badenhausen, Kurt (2015), “Ranking the Best States for Business 2015: Behind the Numbers,” Forbes Magazine, Oct. 21, http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2015/10/21/ranking-the-best-states-for-business-2015-behind-the-numbers/#8f1966e228e3 (accessed July 25, 2016).
[7] Walczak, Jared, Scott Drenkard, and Joseph Henchman (2015), “2016 Business Tax Climate Index,” Tax Foundation, Nov. 17, http://taxfoundation.org/article/2016-state-business-tax-climate-index (accessed July 23, 2016). The 2010 list can be accessed at Wells, David (2010), “Corporate Tax Games: March to Madness or Economic Growth?” March 31, http://www.public.asu.edu/~wellsda/research/Corporate_Tax_Games.pdf (accessed August 9, 2016).
[8] The AFGR is less precise than the ACGR. However, each has their advantages. The AFGR goes back decades and if the biases within it are relatively consistent, then changes in the AFGR measure meaningful outcomes. But the AFGR does not account for in state and out of state migration. So if more high schoolers are moving into Arizona, the AFGR could be biased upward. Likewise, if more are departing during their high school years, it would be biased downward. Likewise, it’s not a four-year graduation rate, as some students take more than four years to graduate. If the portion of them is relatively consistent, then the AFGR is not impacted, but if there is a surge or dearth of them from one year to the next, the AFGR would be impacted.
[9] The ACGR is a strict four-year on time graduation rate, tracking specific students, making it more precise than the AFGR. It accounts for in-migration, out-migration and student deaths. Consequently, it is a more accurate statistic overall though will omit students taking more than four years to graduate. The 2011 graduating class was the first year it was made publicly available, and even then, three states (Idaho, Kentucky, and Oklahoma) were not yet able to collect the needed data. By 2014 only Idaho was not yet collecting the necessary data. For discussion see McFarland, Joel (2016), “What is the difference between ACGR and AFGR?” NCES Blog, National Center for Educational Statistics, Feb. 2, http://nces.ed.gov/blogs/nces/post/what-is-the-difference-between-the-acgr-and-the-afgr (accessed Aug. 9, 2016).
[10] Everybody Graduates Center’s Building a Grad Nation annual reports accessible at their web site. 2016 report (covering class of 2014) available here http://new.every1graduates.org/2016-building-a-grad-nation-report/. Earlier reports available here http://new.every1graduates.org/building-a-grad-nation-2016/building-a-grad-nation-state-profiles-and-annual-updates/ (accessed Aug. 9, 2016).
[11] Data downloaded from National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, “Generate Your Own Data,” http://www.higheredinfo.org/gyod/ (accessed July 26, 2016).
[12] Data on country GDP per capita is based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) as opposed to the exchange rate, so currency adjustments are to U.S. dollars on the basis of what it would purchase equivalently. Data comes from the Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book. Data on the number of Olympic Athletes per country comes from “2016 Summer Olympics Participating Countries,” Maps of the World, http://www.mapsofworld.com/sports/olympics/summer-olympics/participating-nations.html (accessed August 6, 2016).
[13] Rex, Tom (2014), “Overview of Economic Competitiveness: Business and Individual Location Factors, with a focus on Arizona,” Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research, L. William Seidman Research Institute, W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, November, pp. 42-55, The Tax Foundation is also looked at in that report in the tax section, but not evaluated like other indices. https://wpcarey.asu.edu/sites/default/files/competitiveness11-14.pdf (accessed August 15, 2016).
[14] The six other formulations of Economic Performance were tested to verify the strength of results. They used the format of the one in the main paper, but one substituted per capita real GDP growth instead of GDP per job growth (all education measures positively correlated and Forbes 2015 just reached statistical significance), one without Gross Domestic Product but had two state rankings for per capita State Personal Income Growth 2001-2015 and 2009-2015 (only education measures statistically significant), one that omitted per capita State Personal Income Growth and instead had two state rankings for per capita real State Gross Domestic Product Growth 2001-2015 and 2009-2015 (Forbes 2015 index and education measures had statistically significant positive correlations), a six factor index that replaced the averages in the index used in this paper with two state rankings 2001-2015 and 2009-2015 for both per capita real State Gross Domestic Product Growth and per capita State Personal Income Growth (only the education measures had strong positive correlations). The other two used the six factor model using GDP per job growth instead of per capita GDP (only education measures positively correlated), and a four-factor model that used GDP per job from 2001-2014, 2009-2014, unemployment and the Gini Coefficient (both Forbes indices were statistically significant and positive, all education measures were positive).
[15] One explanation of the differences between GDP and Personal Income can be found at Shafrin, Jason (2011), “What is the difference between GNP, GDP, and National Income,” Healthcare Economist, March 23, http://healthcare-economist.com/2011/03/23/what-is-the-difference-between-gdp-gnp-and-national-income/ (accessed August 7, 2016).
[16] Harrah, Janet, “The Importance of Non-Earned Income to the Cincinnati MSA Economy,” The Community Research Collaborative Blog (no date indicated-latest data referenced is 2008), http://crcblog.typepad.com/crcblog/the-importance-of-non-earned-income-to-the-cincinnati-msa-economy.html (accessed August 15, 2016).
[17] Robb, Robert (2016), “We’re measuring Arizona’s economy all wrong,“ Arizona Republic, July 8, http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/robertrobb/2016/07/08/arizona-economy/86823574/ (accessed July 13, 2016).
[18] Moore, Stephen and Scot Mussi (2016), “Our Turn: Arizona jobs report wrong—we’re better than this,” Arizona Republic, July 18, http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2016/07/18/arizona-job-creation-progress-wrong/86954452/ (accessed July 20, 2016).
[19] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016), “Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States,” http://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt.htm (accessed July 26, 2016).
[20] Saez, Emmanuel (2016), “U.S. Top 1 Percent of Income Earners Hit New High in 2015 Amid Strong Economic Growth,” Washington Center for Equitable Growth, July 3, http://equitablegrowth.org/research-analysis/u-s-top-one-percent-of-income-earners-hit-new-high-in-2015-amid-strong-economic-growth/ (accessed August 15, 2016).
[21] Wells, David (2010), “Corporate Tax Games: March to Madness or Economic Growth?” March 31, http://www.public.asu.edu/~wellsda/research/Corporate_Tax_Games.pdf (accessed August 9, 2016).
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Grand Rapids FC announces James Gilpin’s return for 2016
By Grand Rapids FC | October 29, 2015
Comments Off on Grand Rapids FC announces James Gilpin’s return for 2016
Grand Rapids Football Club is happy to announce that we have agreed with James Gilpin once again to be the Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach for the 2016 season.
Gilpin, who holds his NSCAA National and Advanced National Diplomas, English FA Level 1 Badge, and Rene Meulensteen Moves & Skills Diploma.
Originally from Newcastle, James began his playing career with stints at the Academy level with Sunderland AFC and Newcastle United. He played professionally for Celtic FC and represent…ed the Scotland Youth National Team before moving to the United States.
“I am really looking forward to next summer and continuing to build on the fantastic foundations that the club and coaching staff put in place last summer” commented Gilpin. “With the recent announcement of us moving into the NPSL I am also excited to see new talent added to the team and look forward to working with them with the goal of moving the club one step closer to our objective.”
GRFC President Matt Roberts commented “We are excited to have James back next summer as he has a great relationship with the players and pushes them to find the next level of their game. He will be a key to keeping some consistency in the staff and will help us recruit some others to come to West Michigan as well”.
Coach Robinson Names 19 Players to Face Toledo Villa FC
GRFC Signs Winger Max Mikkola for 2019 Season
GRFC Names 20 Players For Final Pre-Season Friendly Saturday
GRFC Disqualified From US Amateur Cup
GRFC Women Round Out Roster For 2019
Tweets by @grandrapidsfc
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Are You Ready to Eat Fiber!!! - The Reykjavik Grapevine
Are You Ready to Eat Fiber!!!
Helgi Valur
The suburb of Grafarvogur was quiet the night Roger Hodgson, former leading man of Supertramp, performed at Broadway in Reykjavík. All the middle-aged men and women in southern Iceland had gathered, after all, to listen to the corniest singer of all time – I was genuinely surprised my mother wasn’t there.
Roger Hodgson, the man who penned Breakfast in America and Logical Song, is the guy who made corny cool. Before this tour, though, Hodgson hadn’t performed in 20 years, since he quit Supertramp to raise a family (which is very corny). In addition to 20 years’ downtime, Hodgson had the added obstacle that he was presenting his music solo, with just a piano. For those of you who don’t know Supertramp, it is an overproduced pop band with a unique, cheesy yet wonderfully happy sound. So take that sound away and what is left? I was about to find out.
First, though, I would watch KK. Every time middle-aged people get together to listen to music in Iceland, concert promoters call KK and check if he’s available.
KK walked onstage, played a beautiful song and then a crowd favourite. Then he enlightened us about the origins of blues. He told us Icelandic folk musicians had travelled and taught black men the blues. We Icelanders may have the most blues per capita, but I doubt we invented it. I hoped he would talk more about what Icelanders gave black people because then I could call him KKK. KK started to sing a cappella without a mic the way we did it back in the day. Compliments to him on a brilliant performance.
I was getting quite annoyed by the giggling of middle-aged men when Hodgson walked onstage. He started to play his little piano and I just thought this could get so lame. But his first song was Take the Long Way Home and I started smiling and couldn’t help but sing along. You’d think that 20 years of aging would have deepened Hodgson’s rather high-pitched tone a little; it hadn’t. His voice was beautiful as ever. I got chills and happiness was just flying all around like a bumblebee sucking up honey from all the flowers. Oh how sweet it was sitting there just listening to a terrific songwriter who could sing like a fat lady on fire.
Hodgson wasn’t solo. His partner in crime was called Aaron. He played the clarinet and saxophone beautifully and harmonised well whenever backing vocals were needed. Hodgson addressed the crowd and it was clear he was a performer. He knew just what to say and when to say it. He told us that our only job as a crowd was to enjoy ourselves, which was easy. The Grapevine’s cameraman was taking a lot of pictures, as were the other locals, so Hodgson decided just to walk offstage and pose. Then I guess he told them all to sod off because after that they left.
There was never a dull moment. Every song he played took you on a journey through his most intimate emotional life, but it remained entertaining. He then started with his new material, an expected low point. But there was to be no low point, only highs. He who says “what comes up must come down” has never gone to a Rodger Hodgson concert.
Strike that. There was the crowd.
Why do drunken middle-aged men and women have the power to make you want to drink detergent while hanging in a noose while slitting your wrists with a razor? People kept yelling requests and even asking for songs he didn’t even write. You wouldn’t go to a Pearl Jam concert and ask for a Creed song. Would you? But even this wasn’t enough to rattle me.
Roger Hodgson, who many people thought was a has-been, (or, as was often the case that night, a different person entirely), was performing like a genius or savant if you will. After the show he got a standing ovation and did three encores.
Next: “We Like Country People”
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Fuck You Justin Bieber
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Entries open for the 33rd Dulux Colour Awards
Dulux Colour Awards 2018 – Single Residential Interior Winner. Percy St by Bagnoli Architects. Photographer: Ari Hatzis
Entries are now open for the 33rd Dulux Colour Awards, which invites Australian and New Zealand based design professionals and students including architects, interior architects, interior designers and interior decorators to submit work that celebrates exceptional and innovative use of colour across interior and exterior commercial, public and residential spaces.
Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux Colour Planning & Communications Manager says the iconic awards programme provides architects and designers the opportunity to showcase their use of colour in built spaces.
“Colour has the ability to completely transform and define a space,” Andrea says.
“Dulux is hoping to see entrants push creativity to new heights – using colour to create inspired, bold and ambitious spaces.”
The 2019 Dulux Colour Awards is accepting entries until Thursday 28 February 2019 across the following categories:
COMMERCIAL INTERIOR – WORKPLACE AND RETAIL: Interior paint finishes of any commercial or industrial building e.g. offices, studios, factories, retail outlets, pop-up shops, shopping centres.
COMMERCIAL INTERIOR – PUBLIC AND HOSPITALITY: Interior paint finishes of any commercial or industrial building e.g. community centres, museums, theatres, places of worship, cafes, restaurants, fitness centres, hotels, one-off installations, events, education and healthcare facilities.
COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-RESIDENTIAL EXTERIOR: Exterior paint finishes of any commercial, industrial, education facility or multi-residential apartment building.
RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR: Interior paint finishes of a private residence, including single and multi-residential.
SINGLE RESIDENTIAL EXTERIOR: Exterior paint finishes of a private single residence.
STUDENT (YEARS 1 – 6): Paint specification by architecture or interior design students who are currently attending or have just completed (within the past 12 months) a course by a recognised University or College.
GRAND PRIX – NEW ZEALAND ENTRANTS: Best in show selected from New Zealand finalists in each category, excluding Student category.
GRAND PRIX – AUSTRALIAN ENTRANTS: Best in show selected from individual category winners, excluding New Zealand entries and Student categories.
Each category winner will receive AUD $1000 in prize money (winners of the Student category will receive AUD $500). All category winners, excluding the Student category and New Zealand entrants, will have the chance of taking home the Australian Grand Prix title and AUD $5000. New Zealand entrants will have the chance of taking home the New Zealand Grand Prix title and NZD $5000.
Entries are encouraged from individuals, groups, partnerships and those working in larger practices.
Projects must have been completed between 1 September 2017 and 31 December 2018 and may not have been previously entered into this awards programme. The shortlist will be announced online in March 2019.
Winners of the 33rd Dulux Colour Awards will be announced at a gala function at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) on 8 May 2019, with the event compered by award-winning architect and Grand Designs Australia host, Peter Maddison.
For further information, details on how to enter and judging criteria, visit dulux.com.au/colourawards
More green updates
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Heide presents major contemporary ceramics exhibition
Alternative housing models to tackle Sydney’s affordability crisis
Look Inside - Issue 68
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Feliciano Ascencio Sierra
On 7 January 2018, three community police officers from La Concepción, Feliciano Ascencio Sierra, Alexis Santos Castillo and Crescenciano Everardo Lorenzo, were extrajudicially executed in Cacahuatepec, a rural area in Acapulco.
The events of January 7 occurred in the context of a conflict relating to a project by the federal government to build a hydroelectric dam which has been opposed by local communities.
The Tlachinollan Human Rights Center (CDHM Tlachinollan for its Spanish acronym) published a report on the events that took place in La Concepción, Acapulco on 7 January. According to the report, a deadly police operation which violated human rights took place on this date, which resulted in extrajudicial killings, torture and arbitrary detentions. The operation also resulted in a feeling of vulnerability for the families who had decided to join forces to defend their land rights and the right to free, prior and informed consent through the Council of Communal Landowners and Communities Opposed to the Parota Dam (CECOP for its Spanish acronym) and the Regional Coordination of Community Authorities – Community Police (CRAC-PC for its Spanish acronym).
At around 3.00 am a confrontation took place between armed individuals and members of the CRAC-PC Liaison Committee which resulted in the death of two community police officers and six of the armed individuals.
Just before 11.00 am, while the ministerial police carried out a preliminary investigation, an operation with more than 200 elements of security forces including state and federal police and the army, the community of La Concepción arrived. The police presence had the effect of creating tension between the state police and members of the CECOP and the CRAC-PC. The Director of State Police, Esteban Maldonado Palacios, ordered the detention and disarming of the community police officers and this provoked further tension. The state and ministerial police then initiated the armed confrontation.
The Tlachinollan Centre for Human Rights has evidence which establishes that three community police officers were extrajudicially executed. Eyewitnesses of the confrontation confirm that the community police officers Feliciano Ascencio Sierra and Alexis Santos Castillo were in the backyard of the Liaison House, with Feliciano kneeling with his hands at the back of his neck and Ascencio standing with his hands raised in surrender, when the state police shot and killed them. Crescenciano Everardo Lorenzo was detained when he was found in the front yard of the Liaison House. Two members of the state police arrived and asked for his weapon and, without resisting, he gave it to them. The police immediately restrained him and took him towards the CONASUPO establishment which is beside the church in the community. He was subsequently found dead.
The state security forces then were deployed in the surrounding communities where they began to search a number of homes belonging to community police officers and members of the CECOP. The inhabitants of some homes were removed and detained and today are being accused of the murder of the six individuals in the initial confrontation.
To date, the authorities have not revealed if they have begun an investigation for these extrajudicial killings. In addition, in the investigation that was opened into the murder of the six civilians, no community police officer was included.
Source: Tlachinollan Human Rights Centre Report
To read the full report, follow this link:
Http://www.tequiojuridico.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Reporte-La-Concepci%C3%B3n-14.01.2018.pdf
If you would like to provide a personal recollection, please email us at: HRDMemorial@frontlinedefenders.org
Region:Americas
Country:Mexico
Department/Province/State:Guerrero
Sex1:Male
Date of Killing:07/01/2018
Previous Threats:No information
Type of Work:Community leader
Organisation:Consejo de Ejidos y Comunidades Opositoras a la presa La Parota (CECOP) y de la Coordinadora Regional de Autoridades Comunitarias -Policía Comunitaria (CRAC-PC)
Sector or Type of Rights the HRD Worked On:ESC Rights
Sector Detail:Environmental Rights, Extractive industries/Mega projects, Indigenous People’s Rights, Land Rights, Self-determination
More information:Front Line Defenders
1This database records an individual's chosen gender identity. If they do not self-identify as male or female they can use the option of recording other/neither or use the term NBGI (non binary gender identity).
URLs (links) of Interest
Reporte del Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña Tlachinollan (CDHM Tlachinollan)
Asociación de Consumidores Orgánicos
https://consumidoresorganicos.org/2018/03/14/comuneros-desdenan-dinero-oficial-agua-del-papagayo/
https://www.jornada.com.mx/2018/01/17/politica/005n2pol
For further information contact
contact@hrdmemorial.org
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Stitches in Time
The Genealogical Musings of Ian D. Swart
← The Search For Barbra Schueler
USS Belknap ( DD251 / AV8 / APD34 ) →
The Life and Times of Ruby Winton Vantine.
My Granny Vantine was a neat woman. She was sweet and gentle, and loved to play card games of any kind. Her eyes always had a twinkle in them. We used to play a dice game together called nikeo. She would sit at the table by herself and practice rolling the dice. She had practiced so much that she wore the ink off a magazine cover! After this, she could roll the dice and get whatever numbers she needed — until we made her start putting the dice in a cup. She wasn’t too happy about that.
Going to Granny & Papa’s house as a young boy was a real treat. Papa, clad in striped overalls, a blue oxford shirt, and black dress shoes (his daily attire) usually sat in his recliner and watched television. One framed photograph sat on the console T.V. It was a portrait of Papa’s daddy, John Quincy Vantine.
John Q. Vantine, 1880 - 1945.
Granny was always in the kitchen working on something or other. She would always find something to give us as a surprise whether it be a piece of candy or a few coins out of her purse. My face would light up, and of course, hers would too.
A large framed print hung above the kitchen table. It was a still life portrait of a cast iron pot full of beans and a basket of biscuits sitting on a hay bale. I now have this.
Granny was born 8 May 1921 to Robert Charley Winton and Myrtle Argen Hill near Springer, Carter County, Oklahoma. She gave birth to eight children in ten years, and had a very hard life.
She died in February 2002 in Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma. She is greatly missed. Granny and Papa had been married for 63 years.
Odis & Ruby Winton Vantine on their 60th Anniversary, 1998.
Before her death, Granny sat down with her daughter Mary and told the story of her life. Aunt Mary typed up the tales and named it “The Life and Times of Ruby Winton Vantine.” Here is an excerpt (my additions are in brackets):
The reason I want to tell my story is to put some of my memories to paper for my children and grandchildren. Some of the memories are sad, some are funny, and some are simply beautiful red apples from the barrel of life. They run the gamut from major events to insignificant moments. I hope these next pages will be informative and entertaining.
My grandmother Hempe Cook was married to J. T. Hill [James Tolbert]. They had six children: Etter, Myrtle (my mother), Lily, Perry, Minnie and Herbert. When mama was about eight her mother was heavy with child. She sat on a big rock out by the pond to watch her geese. After she died in childbirth, Mama would sit on the big rock so she could see her mother. [Hempe died in 1909 from complications with a breech birth. A doctor could not be found to come to her aid.]
My mother, Myrtle Argen Hill, was fourteen years old when she married Robert Charley Winton in 1914. He was 37 and brought to the marriage six children by his deceased first wife: Leona was 16; Alfred, 14; Loy, 11; Willie, 9; Ethel, 8; and Dustin, 5. Mama played “dolls” with her stepchildren. She went outside to play with them and often forgot to cook supper. Together they had six children: Irene, in 1916; Geneva, 1919; Ruby (myself), 1921; J. D., 1923; Emma Ruth, 1925; and Zol, 1927. Daddy was a well-digger. He owned two farms in Carter County, Oklahoma and had horses and cattle. We drove them under a big bridge from one pasture to another. I remember that one day Daddy came home with $1,000 cash. Geneva and I walked to the bank to make a deposit for him. Daddy went bankrupt twice. He paid lots of money trying to find a cure for Loy who had infantile paralysis. He finally bought a horse and buggy for Loy to get around in. We lived in one of Gene Autry’s old houses about three or four miles southwest of Milo, Oklahoma. Irene, Geneva, J. D., and I started first grade at the same time. This embarrassed Irene and she often played “hooky”. When she played “hooky” the rest of us would too. Usually we hid out at Grandpa Hill’s house where he was living with a woman who had two children, Theodora and Hayes. In March 1931, Daddy received internal injuries when a log fell on him when he was laying logs across a cellar. He developed pneumonia and died.
Myrtle and Robert Charley Winton on right.
[I had always heard that he burned to death. The story is that he had been working with machinery on that cold wintry day and had gasoline and oil on his clothing when he came home that evening. He stood close to the fire to warm up and he caught on fire. He ran outside to jump in the horse tank to put himself out and it was frozen solid.]
After daddy died the family was destitute. Going hungry was normal. Sometimes Mama did not eat but divided a biscuit among us kids — our only food for the day! A local farmer gave us skim milk from his separator. Geneva and I walked to Raleigh High’s farm every day to collect our skim milk in a syrup bucket. On our way home we became so hot and thirsty we had to stop and drink a few sips of the milk. There was a gate we had to crawl under. One day we found two dimes under the gate. As we walked into Milo to pick up our mail a bread truck threw out bread and rolls for us.
Soon after Daddy’s death, Irene married Pat Scott. Pat’s mother, Hattie, had a brother, James Edward Sims who lived in another state with his wife and four children: Ira, Otis, Lois, and Audry. After his wife divorced him and moved to California with the children, Ed came to Milo to visit Hattie. There he met Mama. After corresponding for a while he returned to Milo and married Mama. He actually saved us from starving to death. He was a religious man and was stern, but treated us with respect. In the fall of 1932, we moved to Cotton County to pick cotton. We lived west of Walters and attended Pecan Grove and District 221 schools. Ed and Mama had four children: Elmer, Virginia, Ray, and Dewayne.
In 1936, we moved “down under the hill” southwest of Walters. We went to Pleasant Hill school. I often cut school. I was a nature girl and enjoyed being outside. I carried a 50-lb. flour sack, folded to fit in my pocket, a knife, twine, fish hook, etc. and headed for the creek or woods. I stayed all day, and hunted for berries, pecans, fruit, etc. Sometimes I cut a tree limb for a fishing pole, rigged it with line, hook, and cork; dug worms or caught grasshoppers for bait; and took a stringer of fish home for supper. When I returned home “after school” I was carrying a bag full of food for our family. One time I bet Geneva I could knock a bird off a limb with a rock. I hit it and the bird fell to the ground. Geneva ran over and picked it up, chastising me for killing the nice little bird. The “nice little bird” was only stunned and bit her hand, drawing blood!
We were neighbors of several large families — the Joe Copelands, the Charlie Langfords, and the Quincy Vantines who had three sons. Era Copeland was dating Boyd Vantine, Jessie Langford was dating Sam Vantine, and Lee Langford was dating Geneva Winton. Mrs. Vantine (Jocie) gave a New Year’s Eve party for the young people of the community. I had not met the Vantines and didn’t intend to go. About 8 o’clock that evening Era knocked on the door, and said, “Get ready! We’re going to a party.” After getting Ed’s okay we went out to the car with Era (assuming that Boyd had brought her) and were quite surprised to find Odis Vantine behind the wheel. Geneva and Era jumped into the back seat, leaving me to ride in front with Odis. I was embarrassed. At the party, everybody paired up. I suspected that Odis was interested in me. When he won a prize, he gave it to me. The prize was a big candy bar — a real treasure back then.
Sam, Boyd, and Odis Vantine
We usually “double-dated” with Geneva and Lee. Odis had the only car – a 1927 Chevrolet. One Saturday we went to the preview in Walters. It rained while we were there. The roads were flooded and we had to drive the car through water. The car got stuck a few miles from the house. We tried to push the car out but only managed to get terrible muddy. It was still raining and the lightning and thunder were so bad. We pulled off our shoes and sharing one blanket, the guys walked us home. We tried to be quiet so we wouldn’t wake Mama and Ed. But nobody was home. They had gone to the cellar at the schoolhouse. That night, Odis kissed me for the first time. The next morning, Geneva and I got up early to wash our dresses before Mama and Ed saw them. They had big muddy handprints on the backs of them.
Odis courted me for a year and a half. Our dates were often community activities. Someone was always giving a party. In April 1938 Odis’ car broke down. Carl Langford loaned his car (a 1928 Whippet) to Lee. The car only had a front seat, but there was room in the back for somebody to stand. We were returning from a party at Winnie and Oliver Copelands. Odis and I were standing in the back. While riding down the road out in the country, Odis proposed to me.
When I asked Ed if I could get married, he said, “You can wait until you’re 50 and still get married.” I retorted, “Did you?” Geneva and I had earned money by working in the fields shocking wheat. We walked into Walters to buy my wedding dress. I wanted pink but she recommended blue or white. My wedding dress was dark blue silk, midi-length, with short sleeves. On Saturday morning, June 11, 1938 we went to the studio in Temple and had our picture made. After lunch, we drove to Preacher Head’s house and said our vows. Geneva and Lee were our attendants.
Odis & Ruby Winton Vantine on their wedding day.
Since Odis helped his parents, I moved in with them. Sam and Boyd had teased me, and I was nervous about my wedding night in the household of in-laws. Shortly after arriving at my new home, Jocie took us upstairs. She had prepared a private room for us with a pretty quilt, candles, and everything. She had a friend for life! I loved her dearly. And she loved me. I was the daughter she never had. I was very small, weighing about ninety pounds, and she held me on her lap.
Emma Jociephine Vantine with two daughters-in-law, Era and Jessie.
Odis and I moved into our own home (the McCaig place) about six months after our marriage. When I became pregnant, Jocie was thrilled. She just knew the baby was a girl. However, she had uterine cancer and died only two months before March 18, 1939 when I delivered my first born, John Robert, named for his grandfathers. [My grandfather.]
John Robert Vantine
After Jocie died, Mr. Vantine (Quince) moved in with us. In 1928, Quince had had pneumonia. He never recovered. He was weakened with asthma and emphysema and easily developed pneumonia. He “rolled his own” and smoked Bull Durham cigarettes.
Irene and Pat Scott had a baby boy, Levi. He did in infancy. In 1938 they divorced. Irene went home to Mama and Ed who lived in Marlow at that time. In Marlow she met Edgar Cochran. I begged her not to remarry because she couldn’t have babies and she was shortening her life. They married in 1940. After she learned she was pregnant, they lived with Odis and me until the baby was born. The baby girl, Mary Sue, was delivered in our home by Dr. Jones. She was sickly and wouldn’t nurse. I worked with the baby for three days, feeding her with a dropper, but she just couldn’t swallow. I think she probably had a cleft palate. I dressed her after she died. She is buried in Randlett cemetery. Later Edgar went to work in San Diego, California. Irene followed him. In September 1943 she gave birth to Steven Robert. When Steve was three months old, Irene became ill. In the hospital, they withheld water from her. She drank from the flower vases. She was on bedrest; a nurse surprised her in the bathroom; Irene fell and died later that night on December 27, 1943. Edgar brought her body back to Oklahoma by train. She is buried in Walters cemetery.
Emma Ruth had gone to work in California after the war started. She tended Steve during this time. When Steve was four months old Emma Ruth came by train to deliver the baby to Mama in Walters, Oklahoma. However, in route, he contracted chicken pox, and she left him in Marlow with Edgar’s parents. One week later, she returned for him but they wouldn’t let her have him. Later she returned to California, and has not returned to Oklahoma. We tried to see Steve at different times through the years but were denied. When Steve was 18 he came to us. He learned of us through mutual friends. I told him about his mother. I also mentioned Emma Ruth’s kindness to him. He joined the Navy and while stationed in San Diego, found Emma Ruth.
In 1944, Ed went to Tulare County, California and started a job with the government. He later “sent for” his family. There were seven who rode the train: Mama, Emma Ruth, Zol, Elmer, Virginia, Ray and Dewayne. Geneva, J. D., and I were married and remained in Oklahoma.
Ed & Myrtle Sims
The year after Jocie’s death, we had moved from the old McCaig place to the Gower place in the West Cache Creek bottom. Boyd, Sam and Odis farmed on halves with Houston Gower. They farmed with four mules, a turning plow, lister, go-devil, cultivator, harrow and two wagons. Sam and Boyd were both married. When the war started, Boyd went over to fight. We continued to farm the land for several years, even though we had to move out of the bottom because of Mr. Vantine’s asthma. These were good years! We milked two cows – a Jersey named Bell and a Brown Swiss called Brownie. Brownie gave eight to ten gallons of milk a day. Of course we fed them well — ground corn, cottonseed meal, cake and hay. Every year we bought three or four hogs to feed out for butchering. We bought fifty to a hundred baby chicks each spring. We killed the young roosters to eat but kept the pullets for layers. We had a vegetable garden, but I didn’t “can” back then because I was usually pregnant and had the small children to care for. We picked up pecans, hunted squirrels and fished on the creek. The creek overflowed often. We were between two branches of the creek. When it flooded we had to leave in a high wagon with the kids and clothing. Sometimes we had to stand up in the wagon and hold the kids out of the water. We turned the mules loose, and they always went back to Houston Gower’s. While we were there we never lost our cotton crop due to flooding.
Odis worked at the refinery at Duncan. After helping me milk the cows, separate the milk, and “slop” the hogs, Odis walked into Temple every morning to catch a ride to the refinery. One day fog was so bad he carried a lantern across a plowed field with watered terraces. He got lost. He blew out the lantern, and finally found the railroad tracks. Though he didn’t know which direction to take, he realized he had chosen correctly when he walked into Temple. He was in time to catch the big truck that hauled the men to Duncan every day.
It was late fall when we butchered hogs. The night was getting late and we were exhausted. We decided to put the hams on top of the house to keep the animals from them. I handed one of them up to Odis. Something started slapping me in the face. It was dark and it took me a while to figure it out. It was a tail left on the ham! We got so tickled we could barely lift the rest of the hams.
We were milking. Every time Odis put out feed, the dame ornery old cow stuck her head into the trough. Odis picked up a two-by-four. The next time the old cow put her head in, he was ready for her. However, the cow moved and a chicken flew in. Odis’ reflex was so good, he splat the chicken!
While on the Gower place Myrtle Jociephine (named for her grandmothers) and Cora Lee (Mr. Vantine named her for an old girlfriend) were born at home, June 23, 1940 and August 27, 1941, respectively. I didn’t even have a doctor present with Cora’s birth.
Myrtle Jociephine Vantine
One day I was doing the wash. While hanging out the clothes, I overheard a very pleased John say, “Dinah, you look just like a little nigger.” They had crawled through the trap door of the chicken house, and John had dipped Myrtle in a five-gallon bucket of a creosote mixture we had used to doctor the chicken roosts. I ran to the house with her and quickly bathed her in one of my wash tubs. She never did blister!
Odis Eugene (Emma Ruth named him for Odis) was born February 26, 1943. My babies were usually big, but he was my biggest! He weighed over thirteen pounds. Gene was born at home and the doctor wouldn’t put his true weight on the birth certificate.
When I was pregnant with Jim, I lad down with Gene who was a baby to take a nap. Later I went to check on the older kids. I was quite startled to see our placid old cow coming from the barn. She was harnessed with three small “cowboys” on her back — John, 5; Myrtle, 4; and Cora, 3. The cow was headed for the stock pond. If she went into the water, the would drown. I was a “sight for sore eyes” running with my big belly. But I caught the cow. The kids were just thrilled!
James Louis (named for Ed Sims) was born in Walters Hospital on February 8, 1945. He was a colicky baby. At three months of age, Jim developed pneumonia. We finally put him on cows milk. Throughout his childhood, he went to sleep anywhere – usually after crawling under something. Many times we had to search for him. We would find him asleep under a tree in the yard, or wrapped in a quilt under the porch. One time he pulled a blanket off the clothesline, crawled under it and went to sleep.
We took care of Mr. Vantine (Quince) for six years. He was a man of small stature and few words. Myrtle loved to help wait on him. She became the “apple of his eye”. I nursed him to the end. He told me, “Ruby, I will probably die when we are alone but don’t be afraid of me.” He died before dawn one morning in May 1945. When the funeral home employees were carrying him out, Mr. Vantine’s arm fell off his chest. When I reached over to put it back under the cover, the funeral director said, “Oh, Honey. You don’t have to do that.” I responded, “It doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve touched him and bathed him for years.” Boyd was on a ship returning home from the war and couldn’t be reached.
John Quincy Vantine in his casket.
On Saturday, March 9, 1946 I knew the time was near for me to deliver my sixth child. Odis did the laundry and I helped him hang it out. My back hurt all day. We got supper “out of the way” and Odis went to get Dr. Hostage. The doctor immediately turned the baby and Mary Ellen (Odis named her for school teacher’s young daughter) was born. Two hours later, our weekend guests arrived – Uncle Joe [Vantine], Elsie, Bill and Allene.
In October 1947, I was in Walters Hospital with complications of pregnancy. We were living across the road from Elmer and Mildred Caulkins. When Odis visited me I noticed that his hair and eyebrows had been singed. He explained to me that our home had burned. Though we lost everything, the children were okay. He had gone back into the burning house to find Jim who had a very strange sleeping habits. A healthy baby girl, Ruby Ann (Mildred named her for me), arrive three weeks later on October 22. [It has been said that many old family photographs were lost in this fire.]
On Jim’s fourth birthday, I made him a cake. He wanted to lick the frosting bowl. I pulled him to me and whispered, “If you’ll be good, I’ll get you a baby brother or sister tonight. It’s our secret so don’t tell anybody”. The next morning while feeding the children their breakfast, Odis announced the arrival of the new baby brother, Ronnie. Jim said, “Me know it! That was me Mommy’s secret!” My last child, Ronald Leon (nurse name him; the kids wanted to name him Homer Lee but I nixed that!) was born at Walters Hospital on February 9, 1949.
As in most large households, we had our share of childhood diseases… the worst being whooping cough… all at the same time. Another bad time was when living at Beaver Creek Station everybody caught the flu and Odis developed pneumonia.
There were also accidents… three-year-old John’s broken leg, six-year-old Ruby Ann’s lost finger, seven-year-old Mary’s broken arm and severed foot.
Throughout these early years of our marriage we worked very hard. During the winter Odis got out of bed every morning and built the wood fire. While I cooked breakfast, he put the kids’ shoes on them and kept them entertained. We shared the chores. After he went to work, I bathed the children, starting with the baby first, and then worked my way up to the oldest child.
The best Christmas I remember was in 1949. We had recently moved to the Ernest Hoodenpyle place. Ern had asked us to move there to help keep the small rural school which his wife Ruth taught. Odis worked for Ern, farmed the Edgar Davis place, and also did construction work in Lawton. We had planned to drive to Randlett to have Christmas dinner with our lifetime friends, Sam and Ida Spinks. However, right outside of Walters, we met them. They had come to have dinner with us. Ida brought homemade pies in a large suitcase! Their teenage children, James, Don and Bernice were with them. We played basketball all afternoon. We agreed that it was a great Christmas.
In January 1951 we moved from Cotton County to the Leticia community in Comanche County. Our children attended Fairview, a small rural school. Later they attended Central High School. We lived there for eight years. In August 1958 we moved to Sterling where our six younger children graduated from high school.
Another highlight in my life was when I became a grandmother for the first time at the age of thirty-eight. I now have twenty-four grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
My mother had black curly hair. She liked to look nice and always wore hosiery and pumps. She had diabetes in her later years. She died on November 14, 1962 in Lindsay, Tulare County, California. Geneva and I took our first airplane trip to her funeral. I was claustrophobic and wanted the stewardess to open the window so I could get some more air. Needless to say, she wouldn’t. I passed out and they couldn’t bring me to. The pilot called ahead for emergency medical personnel to be on standby. Dock and Clara were waiting to pick us up at Bakersfield. There was an ambulance backed up to the plane. When it was announced that there would be a short delay for an emergency, Dock said, “It’s Ruby!” Geneva brought me back on the bus.
Geneva died following surgery in May 1980.
[Her story ends here. It is possible there is more to this story that my Aunt Mary has.]
Granny passed away in Lawton, Oklahoma on February 26, 2002. That day she told her doctor, “I’m so tired. I’m just so tired.”
I love you, Granny.
Posted by Ian Swart on February 8, 2010 in Genealogy
One response to “The Life and Times of Ruby Winton Vantine.”
Carol VanTine Yocom
This is wonderful. I have researched Vantines for years and would love to put a link to this story on my Vantine page. May I? http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cyocom/
Estate of William Cook – Anderson County, South Carolina
O’Bryan Family History
John Thomason Estate (1776 – 1846)
Clarissa Arrene Harris Daniel
Gravestone Conservation
USS Belknap
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Pelosi goes to bat for Biden on “civility” towards segregationists: Hey, he’s authentic
AllahpunditPosted at 6:01 pm on June 20, 2019
One thing about Pelosi, she’s always on message. You can draw a straight line from her babbling in defense of Biden here to her unshakeable opposition to impeaching Trump. In every circumstance, she’s laser-focused on whether something will improve or undermine her party’s chances of winning in 2020. Will impeaching Trump improve Democrats’ chances of winning next year, knowing how it’ll enrage Republican voters and end with him being easily acquitted by the Senate?
No? Then they’re not going to impeach him. Period. Next subject.
Will knifing Joe Biden for waxing nostalgic about the salad days of Senate comity with cretins like James Eastland and Herman Talmadge improve Democrats’ chances of winning next year? He’s the most electable candidate in the field (or so it seems right now), the man who consistently leads Trump by the widest margins in hypothetical match-ups. And unlike Biden and Elizabeth Warren, a President Biden would be less likely to force Pelosi and her caucus into tackling potentially unpopular far-left legislation.
So, again, would knifing Biden here improve Democrats’ chances? No? Then she’s not going to do it. Period. Next subject.
Nancy Pelosi on Joe Biden’s comments on working with segregationist senators:
“That’s not what this election is about…For us to spend time on an issue like this, which is important, but it’s not central to what the election is about.”pic.twitter.com/5Ov3EdGaq1
— Justice Democrats (@justicedems) June 20, 2019
Two ironies here. The first is that Biden’s own advisors seem to have more of a problem with what he said than Pelosi does. A source inside the campaign told Politico that the Eastland/Talmadge reminiscences have been “a point of contention” with him “but there’s only so much we can do. This is his decision.” Said another staffer to WaPo, “It might move him to pick a different senator… But he’s not someone you can go to and just say, ‘You’ve been doing this x number of years and you can’t do this anymore.’ ” If this dude gets elected, he’ll be the second consecutive president to do so by routinely ignoring his own advisors on what is and isn’t “safe” to say to the electorate.
The other irony is the one Ross Douthat pointed out on Twitter last night. Biden’s grasping for a way to play both sides of the Democratic spectrum, veering just far enough left that progressives will grudgingly turn out for him next fall while staying firmly centrist enough that he remains an appealing alternative to Sanders and Warren for mainstream Dems. It’s his centrism, the alleged key to his electability, that appeals to Pelosi, after all. But look what he’s done over the past few weeks: Instead of sticking with his longstanding support for the Hyde Amendment, a law with solid public support across the wider electorate, he’s abandoned it. And instead of abandoning the old-boys-club stories about Eastland and Talmadge as a gesture of racial sensitivity, he’s stuck with them — even over the advice of his own staff. It’s ass-backwards. He should have stuck with Hyde and confessed embarrassment at having praised the comity of segregationist colleagues in the past to protect his “electability.” This is why political junkies remain unsold on Biden’s chances despite his polling lead. The guy may know Delaware but his national instincts aren’t great.
Then again, he may have enough friends nationally that even this won’t hurt him. By no means are black Democrats uniform in their criticism of him: Cory Booker and Kamala Harris hit him hard, but they’re competing with him for the nomination. James Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House, defended Biden yesterday. So did Cedric Richmond, the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (and now co-chair of the Biden campaign). He might shake this off, despite the best outraged efforts of Berniebros and Bernie-sisses:
For the record, Cory Booker does *not* owe Joe Biden an apology for pointing out that waxing nostalgic about working with segregationists is insensitive.
“He knows better?” Really? What is “better?” To stay quiet about it? https://t.co/RvFzqAXPI5
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 20, 2019
Here’s Booker seizing a rare opportunity to grab voters’ attention by taking it to Biden on CNN last night. Exit question: What lame pander will Uncle Joe engineer to placate the left after this episode? My guess early this morning was that he’d come out in favor of partial-birth abortion, but perhaps he’s headed in a different direction.
Cory Booker blasts Biden's segregationist remarks: He "shouldn't need this lesson" https://t.co/EKfzW9D1A3 pic.twitter.com/Tc4KEp4VPq
— POLITICO (@politico) June 20, 2019
Tags: authentic biden booker clyburn eastland harris pelosi primary segregationist South Carolina talmadge
Pelosi: The House will vote on condemning Trump's racist tweets about AOC and the "Squad"
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An Australian Answer to huge Question!
Who Revived the Electric Car!
General Questions about the evMe
Where is the car made?
The car has been designed and assembled in Australia. Components for the car come from a variety of sources all over the world.
Is this an Australian car company if everything is made overseas?
Energetique is a wholly owned Australian company. The specialty electronic components that we import from our overseas suppliers is currently not manufactured in Australia. Our advanced technologies in system integration and vehicle management are proprietary to Energetique and differentiate us from being an importer of components.
Are there any government rebates or subsidies for purchasing an electric car in Australia?
Not at this time but Energetique is actively lobbying government to support cleaner more sustainable transport solutions.
How did you come up with the idea for evMe?
Founder Phil Coop had always been interested in issues of sustainability and regional economics. Phil was concerned that there were as yet no real alternatives to internal combustion vehicles and decided to purchase a Suzuki Mighty Boy that was converted to electric using an AC Induction motor and lead acid batteries. The vehicle had a long working life but was constrained by the conventional technologies it contained. Several years of research involving a small team of like minded, technology savvy individuals revealed that an energy efficient and environmentally friendly transport alternative for commuters was possible using state of the art technologies and that there was an opportunity to manufacture this type of vehicle in Australia. This background research also provided a wide range of associated technologies and applications that are currently being pursued through more formal research and development and ultimately commercialisation.
I want to add a link to the evMe website from my website, do you have any graphics?
Images can be downloaded from the media section of the evMe site here
Positive Proof of Global Warming!
Filed under: Political
The Oyster Mushroom How to Video Part One
We are almost finished with the production of a short clip about how to grow Oyster mushrooms. 1) First one should find a Poplar tree and chop it down, cut the trunk into three – four ft piece.
2) Drill 1/2 inch holes throughout the log, each one about 2-3 inches deep, and about six inches apart.
3) fill the holes with mushroom spores.
4) cover holes with a layer of bees wax.
5) plant upright in the forest
6) Wait!
Wait til you see the video!
More Riots on Roatan!
May 7th 2009 A mob of violent protesters took over the streets of Roatan yesterday spreading fear and crippling the tourism industry.
The demonstrators were organized and turned violent quickly taking over the ZOLITUR Free Zone office in French Harbour. Once inside, they destroyed everything they could, removing all documents and computers then burning them on the road.
Shots were fired by Police and protesters with at least two policemen injured and it is reported that at lease one protester was injured from gunfire. Hails of stones fell upon police as the protesters refused to retreat.
Police had made as many as 40 arrests. But, it has been reported that these protesters were later freed by the rebels who invaded the police station and stole weapons.
The root of the violence is suspected to be that the ZOLITUR Free Trade Zone is excluding native Hondurans from working on the island without permit from ZOLITUR and will prevent the free movement of Hondurans on The Bay Islands. This is a claim denied by ZOLITUR officials.
More Riots On Roatan
Today the island is calm, but it is said that the leaders of the rioters have given 24 hours for their demands to be met or they will seal off the island from air and sea. Honduran Special Forces are now on the island to keep the peace and prevent further damage.
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Create a space that sparks real community impact.
Impact Brixton launched in 2014 as a community workspace for mission-led organisations. It has since become a home for community-led change, with projects such as the People’s Fridge and Open Project Night bringing together people and organisations of all background to make a better South London, together.
People's Fridge Launch, 2017
Open Project Night
Hatch Incubator, 2016
OurSpace Projects
Imagine rediscovering your child-like wonder and excitement for learning about the world, ideas and other people – asking questions that go beyond ‘Why?’ to ‘How?’, ‘When?’ and ‘What next?’.
Imagine the strength and understanding we can build by welcoming diverse people and perspectives, so we don’t just see another point of view but feel it, too.
Generosity and optimism
Imagine the snowball effect from giving friendship, time, knowledge and biscuits to build a community of trust and opportunity.
Impact Brixton is run by a passionate team that supports a thriving community. We connect you with inspiring people to bring your projects and passion to life, design innovative events and encourage cross-sector collaboration.
Jenine Baptiste
A Brixton resident, Jenine was Impact Brixton’s first team member and has assisted in the development of Impact Brixton over the last 4 years. Jenine has first hand experience managing operations of Impact Brixton whilst building a strong network within the Lambeth and South London entrepreneurial community.
Gerald Vanderpuye
Gerald is a long-time Brixton resident and co-founder of an enterprise software company BuyerDeck. Gerald works with accelerators, universities and blue chips including Google and Rackspace to develop go to market plans for startups and large businesses.
Geoff Sankey
Geoff is a Chartered Accountant and Venture Capital Fund Manager experienced in the development of risk investment and business development strategies for private and public sector stakeholders, including the UK government
Tamara Amarquye
Events and Community Lead
With a background in events, Tamara is responsible for the creation and coordination of all events for the Impact Brixton community. She is also works to engage the community through the Impact Brixton newsletter and management of social media and online community.
Jenni Elbourne
MailChimp Monkey
Jenni is a creative freelancer, copywriter and Brixton resident since 2013. She wears many hats including creating member updates and public newsletters for the Impact Brixton community. Jenni is also the host of Properly Freelance - an honest podcast about the realities of self-employment.
Taylor McWilliams
Investor - Brixton Village
Originally from Texas but based in London, Taylor McWilliams is the director of Hondo Enterprises and a part of the DJ collective Housekeeping. In 2018, he purchased Market Row and Brixton Village and is undergoing plans to develop and protect the market’s unique character.
Elly Foster
Owner - Satay Bar
Raised in Brixton, Elly Foster is the Managing Director of the popular Satay Bar, an award-winning Pan-Asian restaurant on Coldharbor Lane. She is also the Managing Director of Nanban and Market House and one of Impact Brixton’s key partners for Open Project Night.
Jacqui Dyer
Lambeth Councillor
Jacqui is the Labour cabinet member for Health and Adult Social Care. She has campaigned for the rights of BAME groups under the Mental Health act and is also the chair of Black Thrive, a campaign to end the stigma associated with mental health in the black community.
Selina Charmaine Dyer
Selina is a Business, Brand & Website Architect and founder of Charma Communications, a boutique comms agency that supports entrepreneurs with business, brand and web consultancy and marketing strategy. Selina is a self-confessed tech geek and while she’s not at the host desk she can be found advising her clients on everything from "Idea" to "Launch" and everything in between!
Rachael is the founder of BlackMaven CIC, a consultancy service that specializes in strategy and growth targeting black owned business. With over 15 years’ experience working in the voluntary & community, she is both skilled and passionate when working with communities - especially within a participatory framework. She is a busy wife, mother and also co-hosts The Business Mix show on Colourful Radio.
Karlette
Karlette is a Commercial Property Surveyor by profession, and is currently pioneering a non- traditional Estate Agency that specialises in providing creative financial solutions for property and land owners to get them moving. Karlette loves the buzz around entrepreneurship and start-ups and is eager to collaborate and assist like-minds along their journey!
Esson
Lorraine is a photographer who shoots weddings, baby bumps and Glitz Parties via her company Cloud Eleven Photography which she founded in 2013. She is also a music lover and a mum.
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Methods/design
Study protocol: realist evaluation of effectiveness and sustainability of a community health workers programme in improving maternal and child health in Nigeria
Tolib Mirzoev1,
Enyi Etiaba2Email author,
Bassey Ebenso1,
Benjamin Uzochukwu2,
Ana Manzano3,
Obinna Onwujekwe2,
Reinhard Huss1,
Nkoli Ezumah2,
Joseph P. Hicks1,
James Newell1 and
Timothy Ensor1
Implementation Science201611:83
© Mirzoev et al. 2016
Achievement of improved maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes continues to be an issue of international priority, particularly for sub-Saharan African countries such as Nigeria. Evidence suggests that the use of Community Health Workers (CHWs) can be effective in broadening access to, and coverage of, health services and improving MCH outcomes in such countries.
In this paper, we report the methodology for a 5-year study which aims to evaluate the context, processes, outcomes and longer-term sustainability of a Nigerian CHW scheme. Evaluation of complex interventions requires a comprehensive understanding of intervention context, mechanisms and outcomes. The multidisciplinary and mixed-method realist approach will facilitate such evaluation. A favourable policy environment within which the study is conducted will ensure the successful uptake of results into policy and practice.
A realist evaluation provides an overall methodological framework for this multidisciplinary and mixed methods research, which will be undertaken in Anambra state. The study will draw upon health economics, social sciences and statistics. The study comprises three steps: (1) initial theory development; (2) theory validation and (3) theory refinement and development of lessons learned. Specific methods for data collection will include in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with purposefully identified key stakeholders (managers, service providers and service users), document reviews, analyses of quantitative data from the CHW programme and health information system, and a small-scale survey. The impact of the programme on key output and outcome indicators will be assessed through an interrupted time-series analysis (ITS) of monthly quantitative data from health information system and programme reports. Ethics approvals for this study were obtained from the University of Leeds and the University of Nigeria.
This study will provide a timely and important contribution to health systems strengthening specifically within Anambra state in southeast Nigeria but also more widely across Nigeria. This paper should be of interest to researchers who are interested in adapting and applying robust methodologies for assessing complex health system interventions. The paper will also be useful to policymakers and practitioners who are interested in commissioning and engaging in such complex evaluations to inform policies and practices.
Realist evaluation
Community health workers
Conditional cash transfer
Health systems research
In this paper, we report a protocol for realist evaluation study of DeteRminants of Effectiveness and sustainability of a noVel Community HeAlth Workers (CHWs) programMe in imProving maternal and child health in Nigeria (REVAMP project).
Achievement of improved maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes continues to be an issue of international priority for achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly for sub-Saharan African countries [1]. In Nigeria, for example, despite the significant reduction in maternal and neonatal mortality since 2003 by 50 and 23 %, respectively, these still remain high at 545/100,000 and 37/1000 births, respectively, particularly in rural areas where most vulnerable groups reside [2, 3].
Evidence suggests that the use of CHWs can be effective in broadening access to, and coverage of, health services and improving MCH outcomes [4–6]. The use of CHWs was promoted in an attempt to implement interventions using lower cadres of workers to accelerate achievement of universal healthcare coverage [7–10].
However, to guide further development and implementation of CHW programmes in different contexts, it is necessary to better understand what makes CHW programmes successful in achieving desired outcomes and under what circumstances they succeed [11, 12]. As new programmes emerge or existing programmes scale up, comparing the effectiveness of CHW programmes between different contexts becomes important. This is due to the diversity of country contexts and complexity of CHW programmes, which require combinations of elements at micro (i.e. individual), meso (organisational) and macro (i.e. system) levels [7, 13]. Studies have explored the effectiveness of CHW programmes in improving MCH outcomes [14, 15], productivity of CHWs [12], costs and cost-effectiveness of CHW initiatives [4, 16], power relations and acceptance of CHW programmes by the public [6, 17] and effectiveness of associated conditional cash transfers (CCTs) linked to uptake of services [18, 19]. While studies have explored the effects of supply- and demand-side interventions separately [15, 18, 19], the combined effects of the two—such as the added value of CCTs within health programmes—are rarely assessed within the same intervention.
CHW programmes are inherently complex, and their success is mediated by how the intervention is implemented within the health system context. Theory-driven forms of evaluation help understanding such complexity by studying how the different elements are intertwined [20] and recognising the role of context as a key influence in the production of outcomes [21]. The UK Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance for evaluating complex interventions also states that process evaluation can help ‘assess fidelity and quality of implementation, clarify causal mechanisms and identify contextual factors associated with variation in outcomes’ [22].
Realist evaluation (RE) is a theory-driven evaluation method that is increasingly used for studying the implementation of complex interventions within health systems, including in low- and middle-income countries [23–25]. A realist approach emphasises the contingent nature of programme outcomes and addresses questions about what works, in which setting, for whom, in what circumstances and why [26]. In RE, researchers develop middle-range theories that take account of how Context (at micro, meso and macro levels) influences intervention processes or Mechanisms (e.g. actors’ behaviours in implementing intervention) to produce intended and unintended Outcomes. This is known as the C-M-O configuration [26], and without accounting for all these dimensions, some aspects of the programme may go unrecorded, thus affecting the validity and reliability of results [27] and preventing replication [28].
In 2012, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to invest the revenue from fuel subsidy reduction into a social protection programme to improve the lives of the most vulnerable populations [29]. One SURE-P component focused on maternal and child health (SURE-P/MCH), which comprised supply and demand components. Central to the supply component was the recruitment, training and deployment of 2000 formal service providers (e.g. skilled midwives) and 10,000 CHWs, comprising 1000 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) and 9000 volunteer Village Health Workers (VHWs). The supply component also included infrastructure development, improving availability of supplies and medicines and activation of Ward Development Committees (WDCs). This combination was intended to improve access to quality health services and ultimately reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality. The demand component of the SURE-P/MCH programme aimed to increase utilisation of health services during pregnancy and at birth through the use of CCTs, i.e. financial incentives to pregnant women to register at a Primary Health Care (PHC) centre, receive health check-ups while pregnant, deliver at a health facility and take their baby for vaccinations. CCTs also target Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to incentivise them to accompany pregnant women to PHC facilities. Since December 2012, CCTs have been implemented in selected SURE-P/MCH sites in 9 of the 36 states of Nigeria (SURE-P/MCH + CCT). Preliminary evidence indicates that paying CCTs to pregnant mothers is linked to increase antenatal care visits and facility deliveries [2]. While the average number of PHC facilities in each Nigerian state is typically between 1000 and 4000, the SURE-P/MCH was implemented in clusters of 12 to 21 health centres within selected states. Phase 2 of the SURE-P/MCH was launched in late-2013 and aimed for an incremental expansion to a further 12 to 21 facilities in the selected states.
Key officials in the Ministry of Health at Federal, State and Local Government levels expressed interest in assessing the performance of SURE-P/MCH and SURE-P/MCH + CCT (the ‘interventions’) and key contextual influences on the achievement of their objectives. Based on this interest, and following the competitive evaluation of research proposals from the Joint MRC/ESRC/DFID/Wellcome Trust health systems research initiative call 1, in June 2015, we initiated a 5-year research programme to assess the MCH component in Anambra state. In October 2015, 6 months after being elected, the new President of Nigeria announced his decision to reverse fuel subsidy reduction in order to catalyse the economic growth, effectively withdrawing government funding to SURE-P. However, the interest from Nigerian health officials in learning lessons for improving MCH outcomes remained high. We discussed the best course of action for our research with Nigerian health authorities and our funders. Options discussed included stopping or amending the research, as well as technical and political implications of each option from the different (policymakers’ and the funder’s) perspectives. The eventual decision was to continue with the study, using the original methodology, though with the addition of assessment of sustainability of achieved changes and effects of on-going lobbying and advocacy efforts on entrenching the MCH on the political agenda in Nigeria.
The purpose of this paper is to share the study protocol for realist evaluation of CHW programme in Nigeria. In the discussion, we also use to share some key initial methodological outputs which were produced since the start of the project [30]. This paper should be of interest to researchers who are adapting and applying robust methodologies for assessing complex health systems interventions and policymakers and practitioners who are interested in commissioning, and engaging in, similar evaluations.
Study objectives and location
The aim of this study is to inform strengthening, scaling up and ensuring sustainability of CHW programmes. This will be achieved by investigating two intervention strategies (i.e. with and without CCTs) of a Nigerian CHW programme to understand what contextual factors promote equitable access to quality services and examining the conditions under which these changes can be sustained following withdrawal of funding.
The specific objectives of the study are to:
Develop an in-depth understanding of the context and the process of implementation of the interventions, including relationships between health workforce and infrastructure and supplies
Identify, assess and compare the intervention outputs (e.g. skills and practices of CHWs and effectiveness and efficiency of Primary Health Care facilities) and outcomes (e.g. equitable access to quality MCH services and attainment of MCH outcome targets) during and after withdrawal of targeted support to the programme
Develop an empirically based and theoretically grounded dynamic model of complex relations between the actors, context, implementation process, outputs and outcomes of the interventions during, and after withdrawal, of targeted support to the programme
Assess the role of different advocacy and lobbying efforts in entrenching MCH on the political agenda and strengthening the provision of MCH services, following the suspension of targeted support to SURE-P/MCH
Develop transferable best practices for scalability (expansion within a broadly similar context) and generalisability (expansion to different contexts) of the lessons learned
The study is guided by the research questions shown in Table 1, alongside the corresponding objectives.
Study research questions
Specific Research Questions
Relevant objective
1. What are the supply and demand mechanisms, including costs, by which CHW programmes can improve equitable access to quality MCH care in Nigeria?
2. What are the relationships between the different components of successful CHW programmes?
3. Which contextual factors determine whether intervention mechanisms lead to intended outputs, and subsequently outcomes, in Nigeria?
4. Which contextual factors determine whether the programme outputs and outcomes are sustained following withdrawal of targeted support?
5. In what ways do different advocacy and lobbying efforts influence the entrenching of MCH on the political agenda?
6. In what ways do the entrenchment of MCH on the political agenda influence the provision of MCH services in Anambra State?
7. What lessons for scaling up and sustainability can we learn from the assessment of implementation of CHW programme, during and after targeted support?
8. What wider lessons can other programmes, and other countries, learn from the implementation of CHW programmes during and after targeted support in Nigeria?
This 5-year study is implemented in Anambra state, located in the southeast of Nigeria with a total of 4420 PHC facilities serving a population of 4.2 million. It was identified in consultation with the Federal and State Ministry of Health (MOH) and the SURE-P national team lead. We will select three study clusters, corresponding to Local Government Areas (LGAs): one with SURE-P/MCH, one with SURE-P/MCH + CCT and one with no intervention. A cluster is made up of four PHC facilities and one General Hospital (GH). The two interventions (i.e. SURE-P/MCH and SURE-P/MCH + CCT) will be assessed against each other and against the no implementation site. LGAs will be selected in the discussion with State MOH policymakers and programme managers based on high maternal mortality ratios and existence of effective and committed district health leadership.
Study conceptual framework
Realist evaluation provides an overall methodological approach for the project and will guide development, testing and refining of middle-range theories through the analysis of the relationships between the context (at macro, meso and micro levels), mechanisms and outcomes [31]. We will use social science methods to explore views of key actor groups. Economic evaluation will be used to identify the programme costs against the outcomes [32, 33], using an incremental approach to compare intervention costs with benefits, compared with standard practice [16, 34]. Statistical analysis of quantitative data from the health management information system (HMIS) and SURE-P monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system will enable us to determine the extent to which the interventions achieved improvements in MCH services.
Mixed methods study designs that are increasingly used to evaluate complex interventions [35] include the exploratory (qualitative methods followed by quantitative), explanatory (quantitative then qualitative), embedded (one dataset provides a supportive secondary role) and convergent (both datasets are complementary to each other) models [35, 36]. We shall deploy the convergent model to allow continuous integration and triangulation of quantitative and qualitative findings.
The project uses an input-process-output-outcome continuum (see Fig. 1) to explore how inputs affect processes and how processes lead to outputs and ultimately outcomes. Implicit in the figure are the intervention implementation outcomes, i.e. acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, implementation cost, penetration and sustainability of the interventions [37], which often influence the progression from inputs to processes, outputs and outcomes within health programmes.
Conceptual framework for the study
We will also assess the relationships within each stage: whether and how the different inputs complement each other; any catalysing or mutually negating effects between the processes (e.g. implications of staff absences due to training on availability and quality of MCH services) and any relations between the different outputs and between the different outcomes.
We recognise context as a key influence in achieving the intended results. Therefore, instead of attributing changes in health outcomes to the SURE-P/MCH only, we will explore the contribution of the interventions to achievement of desired effects within the real context. We will explore context at the macro level (e.g. political and resource environment), at the meso level (e.g. organisations and their roles) and micro level (e.g. capabilities, values and interests of individuals) [38, 39]. We will also assess the relationship between the supply and demand programme components, which are recognised to provide the continuum of care [40].
Study design and methods
The study methodology will include three steps (Fig. 2): (1) initial theory development; (2) theory validation and (3) theory refinement and development of lessons learned.
During step 1, we will develop specific hypothetical pathways (i.e. middle-range theories) that link intervention inputs to processes, outputs and outcomes within the context of Anambra state. The SURE-P programme theory (see Fig. 1) provides an overarching hypothesis, and more specific hypothetical pathways will represent the middle-range theories (MRT) to help us explore the C-M-O configurations within the programme. These hypotheses will be developed in discussions with programme managers and implementers.
The specific hypotheses will draw upon two data collection methods: (a) review of key documents (SURE-P implementation manual, relevant federal and state-level policies, e.g. reproductive and/or MCH, health workforce) and (b) a limited number (3–5 in total) of initial in-depth interviews (IDIs) with purposefully selected federal and state SURE-P programme managers.
In addition to assessing whether the target indicators are achieved, we will identify how they are achieved (i.e. exploring the intervention mechanisms); identify the key contextual facilitators and constraints and analyse in what ways these contextual influences affected the achievement of outcomes.
The specific hypotheses will be driven by the study research questions (see Table 1) and will relate to the key programme targets ([40] p. 17)
Reduction of MMR by 59 % from 545/100,000 live births to 320/100,000 live births
Reduction of neonatal mortality rate by 22 % from 37/1000 live births to 29/1000 live births
Increased percentage of pregnant women receiving focused antenatal care (ANC) by 52% from 50 % coverage
Increased percentage of skilled birth attendance by 63 % (from 16 % baseline)
Increased postnatal care attendance within 2 days of birth by 63 % (from 16 % baseline)
Increased family planning attendance by 26 % (from 1 % baseline)
The hypotheses can cover more than one indicator. An example involving the first two indicators might be: ‘deployment of CHWs, combined with improvement in infrastructure and supplies when implemented within the health systems context of Nigeria, will help reduce maternal and neonatal mortalities to 320/100,000 and 7/1000 live births respectively’.
The hypotheses can also cover links within and between components of the conceptual framework (Fig. 1), i.e. intra-component and inter-component, respectively. An example of the former is: ‘training and deployment of CHWs combined with a working supplies system, and implemented in the context Nigerian health system, will achieve increase in skilled birth attendance by over 60 % and improve equitable provision of MCH care’. An example of the latter is: ‘financial incentives, combined with increased access to MCH care following deployment of CHWs and improved infrastructure will improve the uptake of antenatal care by pregnant mothers (by over 50 %)’.
During step 2, we shall use a mix of methods to validate hypothetical pathways. Qualitative methods will include (a) IDIs with key actors, including service users, (b) reviews of key documents and (c) exit IDIs and focus group discussions (FGDs) with service users and their family members. Quantitative methods will include analysis of quantitative and costing data from (a) HMIS, (b) SURE-P M&E and (c) a structured facility exit survey. The qualitative and quantitative methods will be integrated throughout to answer the eight study research questions.
Using IDIs, we will explore actors’ understandings and views about the intervention’s context and processes (or mechanisms), their expected and unexpected effects (outputs and outcomes) and effects of advocacy and lobbying in entrenching the MCH on the political agenda. This will give us greater understanding of the health system context, including the links with relevant policies, practices and programmes (e.g. consistency of SURE-P management with overall governance approaches; or support to CHWs within staff supervision and performance appraisal systems).
The respondents for IDIs, identified through purposive sampling, will include health facility managers, CHWs, PHC staff and health planners and programme managers at local, state and federal levels. A detailed list of respondents will be developed within step 1, and snowballing will be used to identify any further informants. We expect to have 30–45 IDIs to represent views of key actor groups in Anambra state (10–15 per each cluster) and about 30 at federal level. However, if we reach data saturation earlier, these numbers may decrease.
The development of interview question guides will be informed by the study conceptual framework and structured around the study research questions to explore the specific hypothetical pathways identified in step 1. Question guides will be adapted to the different actor groups, commensurate to their backgrounds and roles in the design and implementation of the programme. All interviews will be audio-recorded (subject to informed consent), transcribed and translated into English where required. A framework approach will be used for analysis to test hypotheses, while allowing for emergence of new themes [41].
The impact of the programme on a range of key output and outcome indicators will be assessed through an interrupted time-series analysis (ITS) of monthly (the unit of analysis) quantitative data from HMIS and SURE-P M&E monthly programme reports. The aim of the ITS analysis is to identify discontinuities in the time series associated with, and potentially caused by, the introduction of the SURE-P programme to health facilities. These include both immediate changes in the level of an indicator following the intervention, and long-term changes in the trend of an indicator (over time) following the intervention, as compared to control health facilities.
A general model for an ITS regression analysis (which will be adapted to allow for comparison between SURE-P/MCH, SURE-P/MCH + CCT and control clusters) is:
$$ {Y}_t = {\beta}_0+\kern0.5em {\beta}_1{T}_t+\kern0.5em {\beta}_2{I}_t+\kern0.5em {\beta}_3{T}_t{I}_t + {\beta}_4{X}_t + {\varepsilon}_t $$
where Y t is a dependent outputs (e.g. delivery by skilled birth attendants, facility based delivery, ANC 4+, postnatal care within 48 h) or outcome (e.g. neonatal and perinatal deaths); T t is a time series trend variable; I t is an intervention dummy variable (taking a value of 1 in areas where the intervention is implemented and 0 otherwise); T t I t is time after the intervention; X t is a covariate and ε it is an error term. The parameter β0 represents the baseline level of the dependent variable; β1 represents the baseline trend in the dependent variable; β2 isolates any shift in the level (intercept) of the dependent variable following the introduction of the policy; β3 isolates any shift in the rate of change (slope) following the introduction of the policy and β4 represents the effect of a covariate.
The datasets will consist of indicator panels comprising health facilities within the three clusters in Anambra state where the two variations of the intervention are occurring (SURE-P/MCH and SURE-P/MCH + CCT, respectively), as well as a cluster where neither variation is implemented, which will function as a control. The panels will use data from each facility in the three study clusters covering the period from at least 12 months before and 12 months after the intervention began in the two intervention clusters and equivalent periods for the control cluster.
The quality of government and programme indicators will first be assessed by comparing the data with relevant indicators from the demographic surveillance system, and we will adjust the HMIS/M&E variables accordingly in the case of major discrepancies.
Findings from step 1 will be used to hypothesise the likely changes (interruptions in trends and levels) in the time series to make predictions to be verified during the ITS analyses. Methods will be used that adjust, where necessary, for problems typical to time-series estimation (e.g. autocorrelation), and important covariates will also be adjusted for, while multilevel methods will be used to address variation across health facilities. The assessment of the ITS design against standard quality checklist [42] is shown in Additional file 1.
This quantitative analysis interrelates with the qualitative IDIs mentioned earlier. For example, at the output level, we might expect that facility delivery rates will increase: the quantitative analysis will quantify the rate of change; the reasons for the change at this rate will then be explored using qualitative methods. At the outcome level, increased rates of facility delivery could help improve delivery outcomes, leading to a reduction in perinatal deaths. Conversely, it could also lead to the admission of more high-risk pregnancies, causing an increase in facility deaths.
In addition to clinical service outcomes shown in Fig. 1, the mixed methods approach will enable us to also analyse the intervention implementation outcomes, e.g. acceptability of the intervention by the communities and front-line service providers, appropriateness of the intervention design to the current context of PHC facilities in Anambra state and sustainability of changes achieved from the implementation of interventions in the longer term [37].
We will explore views of MCH service users on SURE-P, its costs and effects. The respondents will be current and former service users, recruited at the point of exiting from health facilities. The data will be collected using three methods. First, small-scale facility exit survey (about 300 respondents) will use structured questionnaire to explore user perceptions about the programme and their experiences in accessing MCH care. Second, facility exit IDIs will be conducted with 20–25 purposefully identified users to explore in-depth their views. Last, at least two FGDs will be conducted, each involving 6–8 service users including members of their families, to enable comparison of their views and exploring the dynamics of their discussion.
These service user views, together with qualitative IDIs, will inform the economic evaluation to understand the costs and cost-effectiveness of the programme and the contextual influences on the drivers of costs and benefits. This economic evaluation will use data from analysis of costing data from HMIS and SURE-P and will draw upon the results of the facility exit survey. Rather than attempting to cost all services, we will use an incremental approach that examines the additional programme benefits relative to the additional SURE-P costs. An incremental cost-effectiveness analysis will be undertaken (cost per additional skilled delivery and associated care).
We realise, however, that implementation of a new programme can have an impact that goes beyond the direct programme beneficiaries and will consider these effects qualitatively through conducting IDIs with key actors referred to earlier. The additional costs on the supply side are likely to be training midwives and CHWs, salaries, equipment and other supplies (Table 2). On the demand side, there are costs of the cash transfers themselves (conditional on using services), transportation to the health facility and opportunity costs of facility use to the women and their carers. From a wider social perspective, the impact of the interventions is likely to affect the costs of obtaining services. More accessible midwives/CHWs, for example, may reduce the cost to households of obtaining care.
Key variables and considerations for economic evaluation
Direct incremental
Direct programme
Change in
Use information to undertake an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis
• Training, salaries, equipment
• Skilled deliveries
• Cash transfers incl. admin
• ANC 4 visits
Change in cost to users
• PNC attendances arising from the intervention
• Transport, opportunity cost
Spill-over effects
Change in costs to other service providers
Use information to modify costs where possible; inform sensitivity analysis
• General facility activity
• Service quality due to crowding, resource reallocation
These costs will be captured through a small facility exit survey of women who have used services both before and after implementation of the SURE-P/MCH to understand how user costs have changed over time. These costs will be apportioned between the key SURE-P indicators: change in antenatal attendances, skilled deliveries and postnatal attendances.
Spill-over effects and unintended consequences of the programme will be tracked, quantified and also explored qualitatively. Evidence from elsewhere [43] is that demand-side programmes can impact on other services, through over-crowding and excessive bed-occupancy. Other services might also be affected by resources (or their lack) such as drugs and theatre time that are channelled into the new programme. These costs represent opportunity costs of the programme that contribute to the overall cost that may vary across contexts. We will use the understanding of the context in which interventions are operating to identify these consequences. We will also track significant non-quantifiable effects and will include estimates in the incremental cost-effectiveness analysis.
The uncertainty and likely variability of costs and effectiveness, particularly the spill-over effects, mean that sensitivity analysis will form an important part of the reporting of the economic evaluation. Sensitivity analysis captures the influence on cost-effectiveness ratios of change in major assumptions [16]. In addition to changes in exogenous variables such as pay scales and size of the programme, we will include key contextual changes that can impact on the cost-effectiveness of the programme. This may include the range of other services offered and occupancy levels.
During step 3, we will refine our hypothetical pathways, develop a model of the complex relations between the actors, context, intervention processes, outputs and outcomes, and develop transferable best practices for scalability and generalisability of the programme. This will allow us to answer most of our research questions. Although we do not anticipate any further data collection for this stage, we do not see a linear progression between the steps: i.e. as part of the analysis, we are likely to identify further pathways which may require further data collection and analysis.
The project workplan showing overlaps between the three steps is included in Additional file 2. The 5-year duration is feasible and should allow sufficient time for developing robust multidisciplinary methodology, assessing longer-term outcomes, conducting individual and organisational capacity strengthening [44], adequate consultations with actors and facilitating uptake of project results into policy and practice [45].
Ethics and research governance
Ethical approvals for this study were obtained from the University of Leeds (ref: SoMREC/14/097) and the University of Nigeria (ref: NHREC/05/02/2008B-FWA00002458-1RB00002323). These are available in Additional files 3 and 4, respectively.
The project will be carried out with full respect of current relevant legislation (e.g. the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU) and international conventions (e.g. Helsinki Declaration). The methods development, data collection and analysis will take account of the following issues:
Anonymity of study respondents will be preserved and ensured at all times as respondent(s) request. Unnecessary collection of personal data will be avoided, and respondents will have the right to review outputs and withdraw consent. All personal data will be coded, removed from the data for analysis and stored separately. Only designated research staff will have access to the keys linking the data with the personal information.
Informed consent will be obtained from all study participants, and in the case of refusal, alternative means of data collection will be explored (e.g. alternative respondents)
Specific emphasis will be placed on confidentiality and other data protection issues, which will include security of data storage and access rights to data. Only members of teams identified by the PIs in each institution will have access to the data. Where project data are stored on an institutional server, it will be password-protected and only members of the research team will have access to the passwords.
The project will be implemented according to standard governance practices at the University of Leeds and University of Nigeria. This includes ensuring regular communication between the partners and engagement with policymakers and practitioners; quality assurance through regular peer-review within and between the teams; appropriate mentoring and coaching support to more junior researchers and equal opportunities to both genders.
Communication and dissemination of results
Adequate communication of results is an essential component of this study. We will ‘embed’ the research into policy and practice, working with the federal, state and local actors. This approach, developed by the Nuffield Centre, has been effective in many countries in improving the quality and effectiveness of the scaled-up programme [46]. The Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria has developed three models for getting research into policy and practice (GRIPP), which will also be applied in this study.
Decision-makers will be continuously engaged in a research-policy partnership to facilitate adoption of lessons learned [45]. Specific methods of communicating research will include combinations of:
Developing short and practical policy briefs to national and international policymakers and practitioners
Delivering presentations at local, state and federal meetings in Nigeria and relevant international meetings;
Regular project review meetings and continuous engagement with key decision-makers
Developing newsletters, press-releases and interviews in the media aimed at communicating the key project findings to the public in Nigeria and more widely
Developing a dedicated website where the project results will be publicly accessible by national and international decision-makers, practitioners and academics
Delivering presentations at national and international conferences and publication of articles in peer-reviewed academic journals with emphasis on open access
Developing a project research report for the funder, with a publishable executive summary
Our study should improve understanding of the performance and functioning of complex system interventions involving both supply and demand sides. The study results will also inform strengthening the different aspects of the Nigerian health system, e.g. assessment of context will inform best practices in PHC staff performance management; assessment of the added value of CCTs will inform further demand-side financing schemes.
Since the start of the project, a detailed methodology handbook has been developed to guide data collection and analysis [30]. This handbook is available upon request. Two supplementary materials are included from this handbook. First, the initial Logic Model (LM) (see Additional file 5) was developed for the SURE-P/MCH. A LM is a visual way of organising and displaying information about a strategy or programme. A coherent LM is a thread of evidence-based logic that connects design, planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes [47]. LMs can assist stakeholders to untangle, clarify and share their understanding of complex relationships amongst programme elements [47]. The LM for SURE-P/MCH was developed using a combination of documents review, informal consultations with SURE-P/MCH manager and a technical workshop that involved researchers from the Universities of Leeds and Nigeria.
Second, two initial hypothetical pathways or initial working theories (IWTs) (see Additional file 6) were developed, focusing on SURE-P/MCH supply and demand components, respectively. These progressed from (1) overall programme theory, (2) initial LM and (3) literature review. Each IWT identified specific Cs, Ms and Os. The relationships between and amongst these Cs, Ms and Os will be explored as part of the data collection and analysis. The IWTs subsequently guided the identification of the specific information areas for the data collection and analysis.
Two aspects of the environment within which the study is being implemented are worth noting. First, the policy environment in Nigeria within which the research is being undertaken is favourable to ensure a high-quality analysis, inform theoretical debate and ensure the uptake of results into policy and practice, as we found within our previous collaborative projects. The commitment by key health decision-makers at Anambra state to engage with this research is particularly encouraging. Second, gaps in the literature on the CHWs, combined with an increasing interest in applied research from policymakers and funders, create a favourable environment for the study provide a timely contribution to an on-going debate about effectiveness of complex CHW interventions.
This study will make an important and timely contribution to health systems strengthening in Nigeria. Evaluation of complex interventions such as SURE-P and their longer-term impact on MCH outcomes requires a comprehensive understanding of intervention context, implementation, mechanisms and outcomes. The multidisciplinary and mixed methods realist approach that will be used in the study will facilitate such evaluation.
ANC, antenatal care; CCT, conditional cash transfers; CHEWs, Community Health Extension Workers; CHWs, Community Health Workers; FGD, focus group discussion; HMIS, health management information system; IDI, in-depth interview; IWT, initial working theory; M&E, monitoring and evaluation; MCH, maternal and child health; MOH, Ministry of Health; MRT, middle-range theory; PHC, Primary Health Care; REVAMP, deteRminants of Effectiveness and sustainability of a noVel Community HeAlth Workers programMe in imProving maternal and child health in Nigeria; SURE-P, Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme; VHWs, Village Health Workers; WDCs, Ward Development Committees.
The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions from Dr Lawrence Ezenwa in developing the original study research proposal, health authorities at the Ministry of Health of the Anambra state in engaging with discussions on the study design, and staff at the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu campus for contributing towards the development of the methodology handbook reported in this paper.
The study protocol reported in this paper has been evaluated through open competitive peer-review process as part of the Joint MRC/ESRC/DFID/Wellcome Trust health systems research initiative call 1 and accepted for funding (grant ref: MR/M01472X/1). Neither of the funders had any role in the design of this study.
TM, BU, OO and RH jointly conceived the study; TM, EE, BE, BU, AM, OO, RH, NE, JN and TE developed the study proposal; TM led the writing of this paper with the contributions from EE, BE, BU, AM, OO, RH, NE, JH, JN and TE. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Ethical approvals for this study were obtained from the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Leeds (ref: SoMREC/14/097) and the Health Research Ethics Committee at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu (ref: NHREC/05/02/2008B-FWA00002458-1RB00002323). These are available in Additional files 3 and 4, respectively. Informed consent will be obtained from all study participants, and in the case of refusal, alternative means of data collection will be explored (e.g. alternative respondents).
Additional file 1: Assessment of ITS design against quality criteria. (DOCX 29 kb)
Additional file 2: Project workplan. (DOCX 22 kb)
Additional file 3: Ethics approval from the University of Leeds. (PDF 555 kb)
Additional file 4: Ethical approvals from the University of Nigeria. (ZIP 1568 kb)
Additional file 5: Pre-implementation Logic Map for SURE-P/MCH. (PDF 110 kb)
Additional file 6: Initial Working Theories. (DOCX 37 kb)
Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development, University of Leeds, Charles Thackrah Building, 101 Clarendon Road, Leeds, UK
Health Policy Research Group & the Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu-Campus, Enugu, 400001, Nigeria
School of Sociology and Social Policy, Social Sciences Building, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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Tahira Apologises for Sitting on the Lap of a Buddha Statue
The Quint 19 June 2019
Tahira Kashyap took to Instagram to apologise to fans who have criticised her for posting a picture of herself sitting in the lap of a Buddha statue. The filmmaker posted a statement saying that she was sorry for “unintentionally agonising few people”.
“I apologise if I have offended anybody, but I myself am a Nicherin’s Buddhism practitioner and I felt embraced in the lap of Buddha. Every religion, every philosophy is about love. In no way did I mean to disrespect (anyone). Sorry if I have hurt anyone. From my perspective there is only love,” she explained.
Also Read: I Had a Problem With Ayushmann’s Onscreen Kisses: Tahira Kashyap
Tahira later deleted the post reiterating that she meant no offence by it. “I absolutely never want to be a source of hurt and pain for anyone. Sorry for unintentionally agonising few people, wish love and peace for everyone,” she wrote.
Tahira Kashyap has been a source of inspiration ever since she opened up about her cancer diagnosis last September. She has chronicled her battle with the disease on social media. In November 2018, she returned to work after going through preventive mastectomy. She is currently working on a slice-of-life film about five women from Mumbai, which will be produced by Tanuj Garg and Atul Kasbekar.
. Read more on Celebrities by The Quint.RSS & BJP’s Nehru-Netaji ‘Cosplay’: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsLost Polar Bear Wanders in the City of Norilsk, Siberia . Read more on Celebrities by The Quint.
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Posts tagged microbiome
The World Inside Your Mouth
Scientists studying dental plaque on the teeth of a medieval nun made a startling discovery about medieval manuscripts.
From the source: "The microbiome is comprised of microorganisms that live in and on us and contribute to human health and disease."
Is That Bacteria In Your Eyes?
A recent study found that mice have microbiomes on the surface of their eyes.
Babies and Bacteria
Babies delivered by C-section are not exposed to as much bacteria as those delivered vaginally, and therefore have a weaker microbiome.
Contact Lenses and Eye Infections
Wearing contact lens dramatically alters the microbiome of the eyeball.
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Home » Uncategorized » With Big Data Widely Adopted, The Next Concern Is How to Get Value From It
With Big Data Widely Adopted, The Next Concern Is How to Get Value From It
March 22, 2019 by Editorial Team Leave a Comment
There was a time not long ago when many companies viewed big data investments as niche and non-essential, but that has changed. They now realize using big data is necessary to succeed in the marketplace.
However, making big data worthwhile is not as straightforward as it seems. Many companies still don’t know how to extract data from the collected information.
Many Brands Don’t Get a Competitive Edge After Big Data Investments
Investing in big data is a crucial step, but it doesn’t guarantee a competitive boost. A 2019 survey conducted by NewVantage Partners of executives at Fortune 500 companies revealed some surprising discoveries. It found that more than 91 percent are increasing their investments in big data and artificial intelligence, and less than half say they’re competitive with big data and analytics.
Moreover, only 31 percent responded that they had created data-driven organizations, and even fewer built a data culture. When asked about whether big data translated to measurable value, approximately 62 percent said it did — but that’s an 11-percent decline from last year’s survey.
Those polled also said that 95 percent of the time, it’s organizational issues that pose challenges when firms adopt big data — not technological shortcomings.
That suggests that brands should work on creating a data-centric culture before making major big data investments. People from every department and each level of the organization must be on board with the idea for it to pay off.
Companies Are Unhappy With Data Results for Various Reasons
The previous survey showed that organizational issues posed obstacles that hindered getting value from data, but there are often other problems at play, too.
KPMG performed a study involving more than 800 business executives from 15 countries. In that case, insufficient big data tools or a lack of talent within the company to use the tools correctly caused issues. The research showed that 86 percent of the respondents said big data enabled faster decision making.
But, only 19 percent were “very satisfied” with the insights given by their data and analytics tools. Just 14 percent of companies felt they had all the talent required to leverage big data, which suggests a skills shortage.
However, one of the takeaways in the KPMG paper was that companies that got the most favorable results after implementing big data were typically those that took a company-wide approach instead of merely focusing on individual projects.
Should Companies Monetize Big Data?
Aside from using the information gleaned from big data platforms internally, some companies may decide to sell it to other enterprises that are interested in the insights. Data with monetization potential must be dependable, relevant and segmented. It may also be necessary to anonymize the data to maintain security, particularly due to data privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
When companies have information that meets those characteristics, they could consider monetizing it. Then, the value gained comes from outside interest instead of internal use alone.
Assigning a value to data isn’t easy, but the growth of the data companies store means they must get serious about understanding what it’s worth. In one study, the volume of data held by companies increased by an average of 40 percent per year. Some companies begin by categorizing data according to the current value, and that’s a smart way to start.
Future value of the data should come into the equation, as well. Although many companies use outside experts for data valuation, analysts believe there will soon be a shift towards building internal teams to do the job. Giving a value to data equips businesses to decide if they should monetize their data or not.
Create Value By Using Data to Solve Known Problems
Another way to get value from big data is to specifically assess problems that big data might solve. In one case study, an aircraft engine manufacturer uses big data to predict engine issues that could lead to airline disruptions. It does so with 97 percent accuracy, leading to a savings of $63 million compared to the previous year.
Creating a data strategy is an excellent way to make a practical plan for using data. And, this strategy should align with a company’s overall goals. Taking a closer look at what the business wants to accomplish and determining how data fits into those things goes a long way in making data worth something substantial for the organization.
Achieve More Data Value By Understanding Business Needs
As the research here shows, numerous things cause businesses to have trouble getting value from their data.
There is no single way to increase value, but companies should start by recognizing company requirements, then proceed to identify the outstanding obstacles. Then, companies can learn ways forward.
Contributed by: Kayla Matthews, a technology writer and blogger covering big data topics for websites like Productivity Bytes, CloudTweaks, SandHill and VMblog.
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How Will Big Data Continue to Evolve Throughout 2017
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Filed Under: Big Data, Featured, Google News Feed, News / Analysis, Opinion, Uncategorized Tagged With: Big Data, Weekly Newsletter Articles
The Data Catalog Business Case
The value and benefits of a data catalog are often described as the ability for analysts to find the data they need quickly and efficiently. Data cataloging accelerates analysis by minimizing the time and effort that analysts spend finding and preparing data.
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Men’s basketball notebook: Martin, Mizzou reach deep in rotation for depth
by KCOU Sports
By Garrett Jones
Guess, Suggs see increased minutes in Virgin Islands:
After a win over Kennesaw State in the opening round of the Paradise Jam, head coach Cuonzo Martin had one message for freshman Christian Guess and junior Ronnie Suggs: be ready.
Originally two players considered “back-of-the rotation depth,” both Guess and Suggs had a combined one prior game of experience with Missouri.
That changed in last week’s tournament, which saw Suggs score his first career point, and Guess make his Tiger debut.
“You often try to reward a guy for the work they put in,” Martin said on Guess. “It was great for him to get that experience against tough competition.”
“You’ll see a lot of Ronnie,” Martin said on Suggs. “He’s a good basketball player. My two cents: a walk-on is a label, not who you are.”
Geist questionable for Tuesday’s game:
One of the most significant storylines this season has been the offensive play of senior point guard Jordan Geist.
He was named to the All-Tournament team at the Paradise Jam, and recorded outings of 24 and 21 points against Oregon State in the semifinal and No. 12 Kansas State in the semifinal.
Nonetheless, he left the Caribbean banged up. The team reported he suffered a minor back injury, and head coach Cuonzo Martin said Tuesday he hasn’t practiced since.
“He’s progressing well,” Martin said on Geist’s status. “(The injury) was a big issue. More than it showed, because he’s such strong competitor.”
Martin said he hopes Geist will practice soon. He leads Missouri in scoring with 12.8 points per game. **Editor’s note: An original version of this story said Geist was out 1-2 weeks with the injury, when in reality, Geist is only questionable for Tuesday’s game. KCOU regrets the error.**
Martin said he hopes freshman KJ Santos, who suffered a foot injury in the tournament, will return in “1 to 2 weeks.”
Tilmon, Nikko filling void left by Porter:
When sophomore forward Jontay Porter tore his ACL and MCL Oct. 21, ending his season before it even started, sophomore center Jeremiah Tilmon’s role indirectly, but vastly, expanded.
After averaging a whopping 3.7 personal fouls per game, the pressure was on Tilmon to dial it back on the defensive end, and expand his game offensively.
“It’d be great to have Jontay (Porter) out there,” Martin said. “But we have to be able to take the next step. The foul issues are still there with Jeremiah (Tilmon), but Reed (Nikko) has made tremendous strides.”
Through 5 games, Tilmon is averaging 8.2 PPG, the same clip as last season, but an improved 5.4 rebounds per game.
Nikko is averaging career highs in minutes per game (11.0) and points per game (4.o).
Scouting Temple:
Temple (5-1, American Conference) is led by four-year contributor and senior guard Shizz Alston Jr., who averages 17.8 PPG.
Its only loss came in a slugfest to Virginia Commonwealth last Monday, but the Owls started their season 4-0, and boast a win over Martin’s former California team.
“They can obviously score the ball,” Martin said. “Similar to Iowa State. They’re really good on attacking off the dribble; one-on-one. That puts pressure on your defense.
Interestingly enough, Missouri and Temple average within .1 point per game within each other in defensive points per game allowed, at 65.5 and 65.6 PPG, respectively.
Something will have to give Tuesday night, when the Tigers take the floor against the Owls at Mizzou Arena. Tipoff is set for 8:00 pm, and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.
About KCOU Sports
View all posts by KCOU Sports →
← Studs and Duds of NBA Rookies in Week 5
Missouri women’s basketball snaps 54-game nonconference winning streak in loss to UWGB Nov. 16 →
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Wind, solar, coal and gas to reach similar costs by 2030: report
Paul Graham, CSIRO
By 2030 renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will cost a similar amount to fossils fuels such as coal and gas, thanks to falling technology costs, according to new forecasts released in the CO2CRC’s Australian Power Generation Technology (APGT) Report.
The report also shows that technology costs will fall faster under climate policies that limit the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 450 parts per million. (The current CO₂ concentration is around 400 parts per million).
While the practice of forecasting is often derided, with multi-billion dollar assets that can last 50 years or more, the electricity industry and the policy-makers, academics and stakeholders who study it have no choice but to get involved.
Updating the data
A key input to all energy crystal-ball gazing is the cost of generating electricity, and performance data. However the last comprehensive update of electricity generation costs was the then Bureau of Resource and Energy Economics’ Australian Energy Technology Assessment (AETA) in 2012 (followed by a minor update to selected data in 2013).
The lack of consistent up–to-date data disadvantages technologies such as solar photovoltaic power systems whose costs have been improving rapidly since then.
To avoid misrepresenting the possible future role of fast-moving technologies, many analysts have had to slowly abandon use of the old data and create their own more up-to-date estimates.
While diverse opinions are sometimes useful, a proliferation of inconsistent alternative cost data sets creates confusion for the industry as it makes each published study less comparable.
The delivery today of a new and consistent electricity cost data set therefore is an important and long awaited addition to the electricity industry’s toolkit. The new report was conducted over the July-November period and utilised an electricity industry reference group of around 40 organisations to provide input and feedback along the way.
Given the often heated debates in Australia around energy sources, the CO2CRC recognised that it is crucial that studies like these are conducted in an open and unbiased manner.
The report includes key “building block” data such as capital and operating costs, and performance data such as emissions intensity, water usage and expected usage rates.
The cost of energy
Whenever a new electricity generation technology cost and performance data set is created there is an opportunity to update our view of the relative competitiveness of each technology.
This is calculated using a measure called the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE). The LCOE captures the average cost of producing electricity from a technology over its entire life. It allows the comparison of technologies with very different cost profiles, such as solar photovoltaic systems (high upfront cost, but very low running costs) and gas-fired generators (moderate upfront cost, but significant ongoing fuel and operation costs).
The LCOE is the best technology comparison measure available but is not without limitations. It cannot recognise the different roles technologies might play in an electricity system (e.g. such as supplying everyday, baseload power, or power for periods of peak demand) or the relative flexibility of plant to increase or decrease power supply as needed.
Accepting the limitations, the updated LCOE analysis finds that in 2015 natural gas combined cycle and supercritical pulverised coal (both black and brown) plants have the lowest LCOEs of the technologies covered in the study. Wind is the lowest cost large-scale renewable energy source, while rooftop solar panels are competitive with retail electricity prices.
It is interesting to note that all 2015 LCOE estimates are higher than the current wholesale price of electricity of around A$40 per Megawatt-hour. The reflects reduced demand in the electricity network, which is putting downward pressure on electricity prices.
By 2030 the LCOE ranges of both conventional coal and gas technologies as well as wind and large-scale solar converge to a common range of A$50 to A$100 per megawatt hour. This outcome is consistent with observations from many commentators noting that the continuing reductions in wind and solar photovoltaic costs must inevitably lead to an intersection with the costs of the existing mature technologies before too long.
Of course, equality in LCOE will not necessarily translate to an equal competitive position in electricity markets, given differences in the flexibility of renewable and conventional coal and gas plants (which LCOE does not capture as already noted).
Falling technology costs
The convergence of conventional and renewable energy costs depends on the capital costs of these energy sources. These were modelled for the new report by CSIRO’s Global and Local Learning Model. This model is a relatively objective way of projecting costs based on historical learning rates. Learning rates show that for each doubling of installed capacity of an energy source, costs fall by a particular amount.
We can model these costs across different climate policies, as you can see in the chart below.
Projected electricity generation capital costs assuming a 550ppm consistent global carbon price signal
CO2CRC
CSIRO’s projections included carbon price signals consistent with either concentration of 550 parts per million or 450 parts per million of greenhouse gas emissions. However, we found the total amount of cost reduction was fairly similar, but more accelerated in time, by approximately five years, in the 450 ppm case.
With the future policy environment of the electricity industry potentially becoming a little clearer after the COP21 meeting in Paris next week, the new report makes the job of understanding the role of different technologies in that future a little easier.
Paul Graham, Chief economist, CSIRO energy, CSIRO
December 6, 2015 by particularkev Categories: coal industry, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind Power | Tags: 2030, article, Coal, electricity, gas, price, Renewable Energy, similar, solar, wind | Leave a comment
← India should not be allowed to hold the world to ransom at the climate talks
Al Gore: ‘the will to act is a renewable resource in itself’ →
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PDP BoT chairman,Senator Walid Jibrin replaces Haliru Mohammed Bello
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replaced the embattled chairman of the Board, Haliru Mohammed Bello with Senator Walid Jibrin.
Mohammed is currently standing trial for his alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms purchase scam, allegedly spearheaded by the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki who is also on trial.
Until his elevation yesterday, Jibrin was the Secretary of the BoT. He will occupy the position in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chair. He will combine his new role with being secretary.
The decision was conveyed by Jibrin at a briefing in Abuja yesterday.
It was contained in a communique issued after a meeting of the BoT held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
The party organ also declared its unflinching support for the Northeast zone for the position of National Chairman to replace Prince Uche Secondus who is acting chair.
A court in the Federal Capital Territory had in November 2015, ordered Secondus to vacate the position within 14 days, but Secondus said he had filed an appeal against the order.
Jibrin said the Northeast zone would meet next week to pick a National Chairman to replace Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who resigned last May.
“The Northeast is going to meet to consider members short listed and bring them to Caucus, BoT and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings for final approval”, he stated.
According to him, Haliru Bello Mohammed was appointed BoT chair on May 25, 2015 to act for three months and that the three months had long expired.
false” election poll,APC requests for review
Abuja land get,Jonathan, Alison-Madueke named lead
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JNBridge Delivers Java and Microsoft .NET Integration for the Cloud with Launch of JNBridgePro 6.0
JNBridgePro 6.0 addresses interoperability between major cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services and Windows Azure
Boulder, Colorado, May 25, 2011
JNBridge, (www.jnbridge.com), the award-winning provider of interoperability tools that connect the Java and .NET Frameworks, announced today the release of JNBridgePro 6.0, which enables developers to access both .NET-based and Java-based cloud services and APIs from ground or cloud-based clients written in the other platform, and to develop cloud-based services and APIs that incorporate both Java and .NET-based components.
“As enterprise development teams start including cloud technologies in their applications, incompatible cloud platforms and APIs will be a huge road block,” said Michael Cote, analyst at RedMonk. “We’re already seeing a clamoring for tools and services that integrate this spaghetti bowl of end-points, and they’re only going to become more important to realizing the benefits of cloud development.”
JNBridgePro connects Java and .NET Framework-based components and applications together with simple-to-use Visual Studio and Eclipse plug-ins that remove the complexities of cross-platform interoperability. JNBridgePro 6.0 extends this interoperability to the cloud, allowing developers to build and distribute integrated applications anywhere, including:
Intra-cloud, where both platforms reside in the same cloud, either in the same or in different instances
Inter-cloud, where the instances belong to different clouds
Ground-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground, where the interoperability is between a cloud instance and an application running on the ground.
“JNBridge’s vision of cloud interoperability is any object or API, on any platform, in any language, anywhere,” said Wayne Citrin, CTO of JNBridge. “JNBridgePro 6.0 will allow enterprises to build applications that access any API, or build rich APIs that are accessible to the other side, no matter where they reside, and whether or not they are services enabled.”
Along with extending all the high-performance interoperability capabilities of JNBridgePro to the cloud, JNBridge has both simplified and extended the licensing options. Now a single edition, JNBridgePro 6.0 includes all the functions of the previous standard (JNBridgePro SE) and enterprise (JNBridgePro EE) editions. JNBridgePro 6.0 now offers an annual licensing option, in addition to perpetual, and supports licensing of virtual machines and cloud instances.
JNBridgePro 6.0 will be generally available on June 6, 2011. To download and purchase directly please visit (www.jnbridge.com/downloads.htm).For more information on JNBridge, please visit (www.jnbridge.com).
JNBridge connects Java and .NET Framework-based components and applications together with tools and adapters that are fast, simple to use and remove the complexities of cross-platform interoperability, both in the cloud and on the ground. JNBridge is a privately-held company based in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 2001, JNBridge has over 450 unique customers in 40 countries that use JNBridge’s award-winning solutions in a wide variety of applications in financial services, insurance, media, manufacturing and other industries. Please visit www.jnbridge.com for more information.
Fairfax Imaging Selects JNBridgePro to Accelerate Java Integration for .NET-based... JNBridge Enables Global Reinsurance Firm Swiss Re to Eliminate Redevelopment...
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Tuvalu flags away Iranian tankers
Sunday Morning with Chris Laidlaw on Radio NZ on 5 August included an interview with a former Prime Minister and Governor General of Tuvalu. The program was part of the New Flags series. Sir Tomasi Puapua was the second Prime Minister of Tuvalu – and its third Governor General. Discussion centered on the rejection of British independence arrangements for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony by the Polynesians in the Ellice Islands, who feared the dominance of the much more numerous Melanesians in the Gilberts.
On 1 August 1978, Tuvalu – the eight islands standing together – went its own way. The new state’s few resources were migratory tuna It was left little by the departing British. Puapua spoke of measures explored to acquire revenue; stamps, selling its url “.tv” for commercial marketing, and establishing a shipping register. The only continuing success, a trust fund providing capital support for the government created by New Zealand, Australia and the UK, was subsequently supported by South Korea and Japan.
But the sense of desperation to stay afloat fiscally, is metaphorically reflected in the campaign by some to portray the country as drowning in the tides of global warming. The capital at Funafuti is worse off than the other atolls because pits dug in 1942 to provide building material for a runway (needed for the US attack on Japanese forces occupying Tarawa in the Gilberts) have become brackish and affect horticulture. Desperation has promoted an acceptance of the unconventional and novel.
This year, Singaporean interests that manage the shipping register were off the mark quickly when Iran needed to reflag its tanker fleet to circumvent US sanctions. Twenty two vessels were registered. The fiscal benefit to Tuvalu is uncertain.
Tiny Tuvalu (population 10,000) though extremely religious, had no capacity to play David to the US Goliath. Yesterday the 22 ships were deregistered.
In 1986 Tuvalu stood up to US displeasure as an active participant in the drafting committee of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. Though a minnow among a shoal of minnows, it was onside with Australia and New Zealand. Giving succour to Iran may have been brave for a country with such dependence on the charity of others, but possibly reflects the diplomatic immaturity of being 189th of the 192 States Members of the United Nations.
www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/20120805
www.undppc.org.fj/_resources/article/files/TuvaluTrustFundProfile.pdf
Beith Atkinson, Iranian tankers, Tomasi Puapua, Tuvalu shipping register
« What’s happened to joined up government?
What can the public sector learn from bankers? »
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SB: Lasell falls to Simmons in GNAC doubleheader
Lasell (6-28, 2-10) 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 6 10 3
Simmons (16-20, 10-2) 0 4 0 3 4 0 X 11 11 2
Lasell (6-27, 2-9) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3
Simmons (15-20, 9-2) 0 1 3 7 X 11 12 0
2B: Arianna Genovese; Hailey Haskins
2B: Shannon McMahon 2; Alex Morang; Allie Mulhern; Danielle Carson 2
3B: Danielle Carson
2B: Dom Ortiz; Marissa Santoro
3B: Alex Morang
HR: Danielle Carson
BOSTON, Mass. – Simmons University swept both ends of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball doubleheader from Lasell College Wednesday evening at Daly Field, winning the opener 11-0 in five innings before taking the nightcap, 11-6.
Simmons has won six games in a row to improve to 16-20 overall and 10-2 in the GNAC, while Lasell slips to 6-28 overall and 2-10 in conference games.
Lasell is scheduled for another GNAC doubleheader at Albertus Magnus College on Friday, April 26, weather permitting. The Lasers will play their final home games on Saturday, April 27, against Anna Maria College, beginning at noon. Simmons is slated to visit Norwich University for a GNAC twin bill on Friday, and return home to host the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Saturday.
Game 1 – Simmons 11, Lasell 0 (5 innings)
Freshman Maddie Castigliego (Bristol, R.I.) dominated the Lasers, allowing just one hit, a one-out infield single by sophomore Nicolette Genkos (Worcester, Mass.) in the second inning. She walked two and struck out four to improve her record to 8-5.
The Sharks scored one run in the second inning on an RBI single by sophomore Danielle Carson (Ashland, Mass.), and added three in the third inning on RBI singles by sophomore Marissa Santoro (Windham, Maine) and Castigliego and an RBI triple by freshman Alex Morang (Windham, Maine). Simmons put the game away with a seven-run rally in the fourth.
Carson went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to lead the Sharks offense. Morang had two hits and knocked in three, while Santoro and Castigliego had two hits and two RBI apiece.
Game 2 – Simmons 11, Lasell 6
The Laser offense came alive in the first inning, scoring three runs on four hits, all with two outs. After senior Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) singled to right, junior Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and freshman Hailey Haskins (Franklin, N.H.) hit back-to-back RBI doubles to center. Sophomore Alexis Truesdale (Wakefield, Mass.) capped the rally with an RBI single.
A four-run second-inning rally gave Simmons the lead, but Lasell answered with a run in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Truesdale to tie the score at 4-4. The Lasers regained the lead with two more in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Genovese and Haskins.
The lead didn't last long as Simmons plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Carson and run-scoring singles by junior Lauren Del Vacchio (Murrieta, Calif.) and sophomore Ivy Vann (Bend, Ore.). The Sharks tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning when freshman Shannon McMahon (El Cajon, Calif.) cracked a two-run double to right center, Morang knocked in a run with an infield grounder, and Carson added with an RBI double.
Genovese finished with three hits and two RBI for the Lasers, while Haskins and Truesdale had two hits and two RBI apiece. Carson had three hits and four RBI for Simmons, while McMahon and freshman Allie Mulhern (Westford, Mass.) had two hits each.
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Annual Charity Pie Contest
Time: Thu Apr 7, 2016, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: Lawn in front of the Law School
Who (is getting pied): Professor Kozel, Professor McKenna, Professor Tidmarsh, Professor Huber, Professor (Amy) Barrett, Professor Smith, Professor (Rick) Garnett, Peter Horvath, and (special guest) SBA President, Tim Dondanville
How (to buy tickets): Tickets will be $2 a piece, or three for $5 (CASH ONLY!)
Legal Voices will be selling tickets at the Father Mike Show (all night) and on March 29th, March 30th, March 31st, April 4th, April 5th, and April 6th in the Commons during the lunch hour.
Proceeds from the event will go to Oaklawn Mental Health Clinic.
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« 8 Days – 7 Nights
6 Days – 5 Nights »
Day 1, Arrival Amman
Upon arrival, a member of our staff will meet you at Queen Alia International Airport for assistance with customs and immigration procedures. Transfer to hotel in Amman. Overnight.
Day 2, Amman City Tour/ Desert Castles/ Amman
Breakfast. Morning city tour of Amman to visit the Citadel, the Roman Theatre and Umayyad Palace as well as the Archaeological and Folklore Museums. Proceed to the Desert Castles. Visit Qasr Amra, Azraq and Kharaneh before returning to Amman. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3, Amman/ Ajlun/ Jerash/ Salt/ Amman
Breakfast. Depart Amman to visit the village of Ajlun with its fortress and magnificent view into the Jordan Valley. Proceed to visit Jerash; showcasing the grandeur of Imperial Rome, and being one of the largest and most well preserved sites of Roman architecture in the World outside Italy. Proceed to the Old Town Of Salt which is situated 29 km north of Amman. Salt is one of Jordan’s longest continuously inhabited cities, it contains a remarkable architectural and civic heritage including many recently opened museums. Return to Amman . Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4, Amman/ Madaba/ Mt Nebo/ Wadi Mujib/Um Rassas/ Kerak/ Petra
Breakfast. A whole day to explore the King’s highway, which was once part of the ancient Silk Road. Transfer to Visit the Christian Town of Madaba “The City of Mosaics. Visit the church with the mosaic map of the Holy Land from Byzantine times. take a detour to visit the Monastery in Mount Nebo, . The Bible reports that Moses climbed up onto Mount Nebo, coming from the plains of Moab. On the mountain, God showed him “all the land” which was promised to his descendants. Transfer to visit Um Al Rassas. Proceed to visit the crusader castle of Kerak via Wadi Al Mujib, a deep valley holding one of Jordan’s most breathtaking view. Continue to Petra (The City of the Nabateans). Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5, Petra
Breakfast. The visit of the ancient Nabatean Capital starts on horseback, followed by a walk through the Siq, a long narrow fissure between two overhanging cliffs. The tour then proceeds to gradually unfold the mysteries of the Red Rose City with its spectacular treasury, Royal Tombs, burial chambers and high places of sacrifice. Return to the hotel for overnight.
Day 6, Petra/ Beida/ Wadi Rum /Dead Sea
After breakfast proceed to Beida, also known as little Petra and the place where the Nabateans used to entertain their guests. Continue south to the enchanting desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan’s largest desert and one of the most spectacular desert landscapes in the world. Jeep tour inside the Wadi. Watch the most beautiful view while drinking a cup of traditional Bedouin tea. Transfer to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on surface earth. Free time at leisure. Overnight.
Day 7, Dead Sea/ Departure
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Assistance with formalities and departure.
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juliette van haren
cv contact
V. Plasticwear
Astral shelving and wall elements (left) and Friedman’s apartment circa 1982
Dan Friedman — Born in Cleveland, Ohio, 1945. Died in New York City, 1995.
The best a designer can do is consistently offer forthright attempts at communication, by way of an open and multifaceted mind. The offerings of most designers are meant to be metabolized instantly, as minor tweaks to existing models; this is commerce without content. It is a rare designer who resists what is a very seductive and embedded process. Rarer still is a design practice that weds a loving knowledge of her/his craft with reflections of the self, the client, the globe and the cosmos. The latter description was Dan Friedman.
Friedman was central to the 1980s New York scene. The decade and place was ridiculously fertile, breeding genius in every corner of culture — home to the likes of Sherrie Levine, Alan Buchsbaum, Jim Jarmusch, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Haim Steinbach, John Zorn, David Byrne, Paul Auster, Keith Haring and on and on... This multidisciplinary, multicultural, gender-role-fighting, polysexual vanguard is often placed under the banner of postmodernsim, though many involved bristled at this ism (Friedman referred to himself as a radical modernist). Friedman came to this place of hardcore and restless bounty by way of a fairly rational progression, almost pedigreed. From the Midwest he went to college at Carnegie Mellon, from which he traveled to Basel to study orthodox modernist graphic design under Armin Hoffman (and others) at the Schule für Gestaltung. In the ’70s he was the epitome of success in his field, with teaching posts at Yale and positions at Anspach Grossman Portugal and Pentagram. But in 1982, deeply disenchanted, he restarted his private practice. “What I realized in the 1970s, when I was doing major corporate identity projects, is that design had become a preoccupation with what things look like rather than with what they mean.”
Left: Friedman’s 1988 Fountain table for the Formica Corporation. Right: Friedman in front of his 1985 assemblage The Wall. Top image: Astral shelving and wall elements (left) and Friedman’s apartment circa 1982
Left: the Corona chair for Neotu (1991). Right: a Friedman collage for the Cultural Geometry show at Deitch Projects in 1988
There is little in Friedman’s oeuvre that isn’t simultaneously incisive, formally beautiful, groundbreaking and meditative; this was true for the interior his own apartment, his various logo graphics (his work for Paul Ludick and Mobiflex are personal favorites), his obsessive array of folding screens (see Primal Screen, 1984), his publication and book designs (particularly the three books he designed in conjunction with Jeffrey Deitch in the 1990s) and his furniture for the now defunct Parisian gallery Neotu (see the Corona chair from 1991).
Although Friedman didn’t necessarily endorse the label postmodern, it’s not incorrect to associate his work with that movement’s preoccupations. Friedman himself said, “I have always tried to move away from being associated with style” — and that notion itself is a large part of the postodernist proposition. “Style” is a sort of standard, something repeated enough that a label can be applied. As we all know, labels, standards and styles are a tricky business: Who is making the standard? Who is responsible for exclusion and inclusion? Roland Barthes probably said it best: “Who is speaking thus?” Friedman’s work, even very early on (particularly his graphic work for the Neuberger Museum and Yale University), had this sensibility — it was inclined towards mutation, not necessarily loose or improvisational, but resistant and searching. Maybe it could be said that his work, being so close to modernist tenets (Platonic forms, universality, reduction, purity, modular structures, etc.), eschewed the modernist reverence of logos for the postmodern inclusion of genealogies.
One thing is clear when thinking about Dan Friedman, and this should be taken as a model of sorts: He had scope — he had a really wide scope that he effectively welded to an ethical fortitude and an educated talent. His work always strived, taught and was, ultimately, deeply communicative. His work in the 1990s was a continuation of what he had always done, but building in momentum and speed. Unfortunately, his output was truncated by his death from AIDS at the age of 50 (fuck Reagan).
Left: the Wave Hill fruit basket for Neotu (1991). Right: the Mida cabinet for Arredaesse (1992)
Left: Primal Screen (1984). Right: a Friedman vase
Friedman’s book covers for Cultural Geometry (1988), Artificial Nature (1990) and Post Human (1992)
Logos for Mobiflex (1982) and Paul Ludick (1990)
A 1981 announcement card for the Japanese fashion label Pinky & Dianne
The Primordial table for Alchimia (1986)
— AQQ
© Juliette van Haren 2019 ︎ ︎
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Biographical Approaches to Studying Digital Capitalism
In the early pages of Douglas Rushkoff’s Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus, he offers a cogent analysis of how initial public offerings lock tech companies into a growth imperative which ultimately proves destructive of the value they create. As he puts it on loc 169, “Having taken in this much new capital, however, Twitter now needs to produce. It must grow.” Problems emerge because what constitutes enough growth is something now defined by the investors who must justify the amount of money that’s been put into the company.
It’s easy to see this in systemic terms but what intrigues me is the biographical element. The problem arises because, as Rushkoff puts it, shareholders “expect to win back one hundred times their initial $20 billion bet” and to do this “Twitter must grow into a corporation bigger than the economy of many entire nations” (loc 184). Who are these investors and how do they come to be in a situation where they’re both able and inclined to make such an investment, with these sets of expectations? What about the founders themselves, how did they come to occupy these positions and what commonalities and differences can we find in their motivations?
My suggestion is that what Rushkoff calls “the growth imperative” can be usefully analysed in terms of the biographical entanglement between two distinct groups: aspiring founders and aspiring investors. The social dynamics can’t be reduced to individual biographies but these lived lives are, in an important way, the most basic social unit through which the dynamics become operative and are therefore key to understanding it. This of course entails that we understand the context within which these aspirations develop and each group sets out on this path, but the capacity of such groups to transform that context is something that is activated through the lives of individuals.
The Lived Reality of Work in Tech Firms
The Idiots Who Make History
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"all of life's riddles are answered in the movies"
La La Land »
Director: Tom Ford.
Screenplay: Tom Ford.
Starring: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Armie Hammer, Isla Fisher, Ellie Bamber, Karl Glusman, Robert Aramayo, Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough, Michael Sheen, Jena Malone, Graham Beckel.
“Enjoy the absurdity of our world. It’s a lot less painful. Believe me, our world is a lot less painful than the real world”
Former fashion-designer Tom Ford took his first steps into film directing with A Single Man in 2009. It’s a film that didn’t initially catch my eye but when I finally caught up with it, it really impressed. In fact, I thought it a near masterpiece of style and composition. As a result, I’ve been very eager to see what Ford would do next and although his follow-up isn’t quite as good as his debut, there’s still much to recommend.
Plot: Wealthy art curator Susan Morrow (Amy Adams), receives a manuscript from her ex-husband Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal). As she settles into reading Edward’s story, she is forced to confront her past and the breakdown of their relationship as the story within the manuscript turns violent and deadly.
Based on the novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright, there’s a clever structure to Nocturnal Animals. It’s a story-within-a-story and not being content with that, it also employs flashbacks just to make it more narratively complex and frames it’s all as three stories in one. The stories aren’t vignettes or separate, though. They are very much related and feed into each other as the film addresses the differences between past and present and the fine line between reality and fantasy with one fictional story even serving as a metaphor for another. It’s quite an ambitious project for Ford in only his second film but he’s able to keep command of all the narratives and manages to combine a reflective drama with a mysterious, psychological thriller while bringing it all together to make a complete and coherent whole.
It’s not just Ford’s narrative juggling that impresses, though. There’s plenty to admire throughout the entire film; Ford’s direction is ambitious and, like his work in A Single Man, he has a keen artistic eye with some vibrant and striking imagery captured by Christopher Brown’s art direction, Seamus McGarvey’s sombre cinematography and the gorgeous production design by Shane Valentino and Meg Everist invites you into the characters’ dark, dual existences without ever losing its consistent tone. It also boasts a very impressive cast who are all on good form; after her anchoring work in Arrival, the always reliable Amy Adams delivers another strong, reserved performance; the Oscar nominated Michael Shannon manages to convey so much with the minutest facial expression and Golden Globe winning Aaron Taylor-Johnson tackles a darker role, that he’s not normally associated with. Put simply, he knocks it out the park and I hope that Johnson continues to explore more of his range in the future.
Like the performances themselves, there are so many layers to Nocturnal Animals that it stays with you long after the credits have rolled. It’s had its critics with many claiming style over substance as a major issue. Personally, I disagree, and happen to think it has an abundance of both. It’s a very well crafted film that’s awash with symbolism and has you continually questioning it’s meanings and messages.
A complex and elegant love story that successfully interweaves with a sadistic film-noir. Tom Ford has shown that A Single Man was no fluke. This a director with sophistication and one that delivers material that’s as dense as it is captivating.
Trivia: Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal have been cast in another project called ‘Ezekiel Moss’ which would have been directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. However, the project was scrapped after Hoffman’s death in 2014
This entry was posted on February 15, 2017 at 11:00 pm and is filed under Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery, thriller with tags 2016. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
18 Responses to “Nocturnal Animals”
I really disliked the movie and thought it was very juvenile with all the jump scares and quite banal plot but Shannon’s performance here is my single favorite performance from 2016. He made it worth seeing, just an amazing work and so funny too
Mark Walker Says:
I was actually surprised how much I liked it, Sati. I thought all the narratives blended seamlessly and I really like its use of atmosphere. Great performances too. Shannon and Taylor-Johnson were both outstanding but I thought Gyllenhaal overplayed it on this rare occasion.
I found this film very haunting and arresting. Ford’s direction was so striking and kept me invested. And Michael Shannon rocked it.
Yeah, I’m with you on this one, Vinnie. A lot of people didn’t like it but i thought was brilliant. The performances were superb (don’t know about Gyllenhaal though) and Ford really does have an artistic eye.
Yes, I noticed it has divided people. I reviewed it the other month, if you’d like to read my thoughts.
Three Rows Back Says:
It does rather beg the question as to why Adams hasn’t been Oscar nominated doesn’t it? I mean I greatly respect Muriel Streep and everything, but her performance in Florence Foster Jenkins wasn’t as good as Adams in Arrival, say (not seen this yet so can’t comment).
Adams’ omission from the Oscars this year is poor, man. I love Streep an all that but others should be getting a chance before her.
Zoë Says:
Hmmm, might have to bump this up my watch list Mark! Great work, as always!
A lot of people seem a bit lukewarm on it, Zoë. I thought it was great though.
This wasn’t perfect but so fun to look at, and some terrific performances too.
The performances were fantastic, Jay. I also liked how all the stories fit together. There’s not thrillers getting made this way anymore.
Jordan Dodd Says:
I loved this. A mixed reception usually means its a keeper. I think The Neon Demon has a 56% rating on RT and that was easily my favourite film of last year, and after five times I still can’t stop watching it.
I need to see more Shannon. He is pure awesome
Yeah, I don’t know why people have been so harsh on this yet so in love with Moonlight. People’s heads have been up their arses this year. 😉
Indeed. Things actually happened in this film! The best actor in it is on screen for more than 10 minutes too! And it wasn’t just another in a long line of well made genre-movies. Its fucking -unique- as fuck and it barely missed my top ten.
We have been sharing a lot of similar views this year, man. I loved Nocturnal. “Unique as fuck” is a good place to start with this. Great flick, great writing, direction and great fuckin acting too. What more did people want?
Who knows man. Shannon’s performance was enough for me, but the whole thing was pretty damned interesting.
Yeah, it really grabbed me too. Shannon and Taylor Johnson were superb.
Ahhhh talking about it makes me want to see it again! I need to get this, tho I’m kinda waiting for 4k releases to become the norm.
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Standardizing JSON
Update 4/2/2013: in an email to the IETF JSON mailing list, Barry Leiba (Applications Area director in IETF) noted that discussions had started with ECMA and ECMA TC 39 to reach agreement on where JSON will be standardized, before continuing with the chartering of an IETF working group.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a text representation for data interchange. It is derived from the JavaScript scripting language for representing data structures and arrays. Although derived from JavaScript, it is language-independent, with parsers available for many programming languages.
JSON is often used for serializing and transmitting structured data over a network connection. It is commonly used to transmit data between a server and web application, serving as an alternative to XML.
JSON was originally specified by Doug Crockford in RFC 4627, an "Informational" RFC. IETF specifications known as RFCs come in lots of flavors: an "Informational" RFC isn't a standard that has gone through careful review, while a "standards track" RFC is.
An increasing number of other IETF documents want to specify a reference to JSON, and the IETF rules generally require references to other documents that are the same or higher levels of stability. For this reason and a few others, the IETF is starting a JSON working group (mailing list) to update RFC 4627.
The JavaScript language itself is standardized by a different committee (TC-39) in a different standards organization (ECMA). For various reasons, the standard is called "ECMAScript" rather than JavaScript. TC 39 published ECMAScript 5.1, and are working on ECMAScript 6, with a plan to be done in the same time frame as the IETF work.
The W3C also is developing standards that use JSON and need a stable specification.
Risk of divergence
Unfortunately, there is a possibility of (minor) divergence between the two specifications without coordination, either formally (organizational liaison) or informally, e.g., by making sure there are participants who work in both committees.
There is a formal liaison between IETF and W3C. There is currently no also a formal liaison between W3C and ECMA (and a mailing list, public-script-coord@w3.org ). There is no formal liaison between TC39/ECMA and IETF.
Having multiple conflicting specifications for JSON would be bad. While some want to avoid the overhead of a formal liaison, there needs to be explicit assignment of responsibility. I'm in favor of a formal liaison as well as informal coordination. I think it makes sense for IETF to specify the "normative" definition of JSON, while ECMA TC-39's ECMAScript 6.0 and W3C specs should all point to the new IETF spec.
JSON vs. XML
JSON is often considered as an alternative to XML as a way of passing language-independent data structures as part of network protocols.
In the IETF, BCP 70 (also known as RFC 3470) "Guidelines for the Use of Extensible Markup Language (XML) within IETF Protocols" gives guidelines for use of XML in network protocols. However, this published in 2003. (I was a co-author with Marshall Rose and Scott Hollenbeck.)
But of course these guidelines don't answer the question many have: When people want to pass data structures between applications in network protocols, do they use XML or JSON and when? What is the rough consensus of the community? Is it a choice? What are the alternatives and considerations? (Fashion? deployment? expressiveness? extensibility?)
This is a critical bit of web architecture that needs attention. The community needs guidelines for understanding the competing benefits and costs of XML vs. JSON. If there's interest, I'd like to see an update to BCP 70 which covers JSON as well as XML.
alsdkfj 3/25/2013 7:12 AM
According to http://www.w3.org/2001/11/StdLiaison there are formal W3C/ECMA liaisons, two people on each side.
Larry Masinter 3/25/2013 7:30 AM
updated blog; not sure why they weren't part of the TAG WebIDL/ECMAScript 6 discussion.
Anonymous 3/25/2013 10:15 AM
Although the concept of validation may be antithetical to many JSON adherents, it is critical for interoperable processes.
Looking back now at the XML Schema wars, I feel confident I can say that
1. everybody can live with W3C XML Schema Data Types,
2. Relax NG is easier to write and better at validating loosely-coupled systems,
3. W3C XML Schema Structures is better at describing XML structure that is designed to be compiled into code accessors (C#, Java) for more strongly coupled RPC-type systems.
I feel that the various JSON schema proposals are all ignoring these and other lessons of the XML Schema history. I believe that a clear differentiation among the schema roles is necessary to come up with answers that satisfy the various use cases.
The current approaches either ignore the problem and let JSON be defined by the code that generates it, or err too much on the side of using JSON syntax where it's awkward, that is, in describing other JSON syntax.
Initiatives such as the binary frmat Avro that are schema-first may take over where Binary XML and JSON+Schema fail.
But even Avro fails in the loosely-coupled front, with the only tool for describing polymorphism being the blunt UNION.
A schema language with compact, readable syntax and based on Horn clauses (much like Relax NG) but using JSON or AVRO types would be a good start for describing an interoperable validation language that could apply equally well to many different data serialization formats.
Please consider the needs of loosely coupled systems, tightly coupled systems, and validation, when looking at the umbrella of standards around JSON.
Gunnar Djurberg 3/27/2013 7:30 AM
+1 on all accounts
Larry Masinter 3/26/2013 10:47 AM
For those wondering what needs to be done to standardize JSON, see http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/json/current/msg00193.html
Doug Cutting 3/26/2013 3:35 PM
+1 for a single specification for JSON.
Simon St.Laurent 3/28/2013 8:38 AM
Leigh - you _might_ talk the IETF into thinking that schemas for everything (or at least for some things) is a good idea, but I doubt you'll get much traction from the JSON community.
Remember, the JSON folks found very very different lessons in XML and XML Schema history. They didn't just stumble into different or bad ideas, they made those choices with substantial awareness of the options. Not only that, but there are few signs that they are repenting of those choices.
I've spent too much time on the xml-dev list lately explaining why schema-first is a bad idea, and seeing you propose inflicting that model on a field that has largely rejected it is, well, strange.
While IETF and ECMA management continue to figure out how to coordinate, what is necessary (and sufficient) is to produce an IETF document that ECMAScript 6 can reference, and then removing the JSON grammar from http://wiki.ecmascript.org/doku.php?id=harmony:specification_drafts section 15.2.
(At my instigation) Barry Leiba noted the agreement in the IETF JSON working group charter:
http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/json/current/msg00267.html
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Career Advice, the Spartan Way: 7 Ways to Be Powerful at the Office
by Andrew Daniels
Your colleague who just landed the spacious office at the end of the hall didn’t snatch the prime piece of real estate because he called dibs, or even because he outworked you. No, he’s got … it. And you don’t. You can’t climb the corporate ladder without hustle and smarts, but those factors will only take you so far. Harvard researchers find that people who project power are more likely to get hired, and scientists at the University of California say that confident, self-assured employees have more success in the workplace than those who are simply talented. The good news: It doesn’t take much to exude authority, poise, and a little intimidation. Use these seven nonverbal tricks every day, and you’ll be shopping for leather couches in no time. Spartan is here with career advice designed especially for our racers.
Spartan-Worthy Career Advice: 7 Tips to Professionally Crush It
#1: Hold This Pose
Do this before every important meeting: Recline in your chair, kick up your feet, and put your hands behind your head, like you’ve just pulled off the deal of the century and your wheelbarrows of money will be arriving any minute. Columbia and Harvard researchers say keeping this pose for 2 minutes doesn’t just make you more confident—it also boosts testosterone (in men and women) and lowers your stress hormones.
#2: Open Your Body
Sitting down and talking shop? Spread out your knees and put your arm around the back of a chair. Stanford University research shows opening your body like this will make you appear more powerful than if you were to cross your arms and legs.
The reason: “Expanding your posture demonstrates that you’re in control,” says Marc Salem, Ph.D., a mentalist and body language expert. “Evolutionarily speaking, this signals that we are totally relaxed in the face of our opposition.”
A bit of extra career advice: Spread out your notes, folders, and personal items on the conference room table for the same effect.
#3: Shut Off Your Phone …
Staring at your phone isn’t just hurting your eyesight—it’s damaging your reputation, too. Researchers at Harvard suggest that people who are glued to their devices come across as wimps.
When you hunch over to look at your phone, you give off bad posture and look less assertive, the study suggests. Fix your posture by standing up straight with your chest out. Other people will see you as more authoritative and you’ll also feel more powerful, finds a study in Psychological Science.
#4: … But Don’t Put It Down
That being said, you should still hold your phone—or a coffee cup, briefcase, or pen—in one hand while you’re talking with your coworkers, says Salem. Consider these objects subtle security blankets that protect you from the threat of others, he says. “And more protection means more power.”
While you’re at it, tell everyone else to put their phones in the middle of the table, right in front of you. “When you take away their security blankets,” Salem says, “you now have all the control.”
#5: Make Your Colleagues Squint
Holding a big meeting? Sit in front of a window or bright lamp, so that your guests are facing the light source. “They’ll either only be able to see your silhouette, or even better, they’ll be squinting and feeling uncomfortable,” says Salem. “This puts them at a completely powerless disadvantage.”
You should also find a meeting room with hard, wooden chairs—“to make your guests squirm,” Salem says—or cushy seats. “That way they’ll sink into submission,” he says. “They’ll literally and figuratively feel beneath you.”
#6: Walk with Confidence
Career advice made easy: Keep your chin up and shoulders back and take long, brisk strides, says Salem. “When you walk with a purpose, it looks like you know where you’re going and what the hell you’re doing,” he says. On the flip side, a Japanese study shows that people who walk slow and take short strides are seen as more vulnerable and prone to an attack.
#7: Buy a Week’s Worth of Red Ties
There’s a reason why Donald Trump always sports a long, red tie: The color commands your attention, Salem says. Why? “Because it’s the color of blood. We stop what whatever we’re doing as soon as we see red.”
Take a cue from the prez: In a study in the *Journal of Experimental Psychology, *the subjects found people wearing red more powerful than those donning any other colors. Bonus: Red makes you look more attractive, too.
Following these seven career advice tips will allow you too feel confident and powerful in the office (and if you’re hoping to become a more powerful athlete, we have some advice for that, too).
Get Spartan Fit! Sign up for our Get Fit Fast Training Program and have our best training plans delivered to your inbox daily.
Andrew Daniels is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in *Men’s Health,* VICE, and *Playboy. *He’s also the author of *The Barstool Book Of Sports: Stats, Stories, and Other Stuff for Drunken Debate, *hitting bookstores in September 2017.
Pre-Race Anxiety: 5 Ways to Calm Starting-Line Nerves
by Mallory Creveling
The Power of Positive Mantras on Race Day
4 Benefits of Meditation for Improving Strength
by The Spartan Editors
5 Reasons Why Failure Is Good for You
Download Spartan Way of Life Ebook
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Saturn’s Moons
Comets & Asteroids
Poll: What Should We Name Pluto’s New Moon?
Posted by Jason Major on July 22, 2011 July 23, 2011
Pluto's three known moons plus P4, a new discovery.
As announced earlier this week, scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have identified a new moon orbiting Pluto. This brings the number of known moons orbiting the dwarf planet to 4. Currently designated “P4” the International Astronomical Union will likely decide on an official name soon…what do you think it should be?
Here’s some of my favorite choices. Following the tradition of keeping with Greek mythology, all are in reference to denizens of the underworld (of which Pluto was in command of….even though that was the Latinized name for Hades.)
PS: I’ve contacted SETI Institute’s Mark Showalter and alert him to this poll…so perhaps your vote will help the decision process!
UPDATE: Since it seems that Persephone, Cerberus and Rhadamanthus have already been taken by asteroids, the best choices on the list are (again, in my opinion) Hypnos and Thanatos. Hypnos was the son of the goddess Nyx (another of Pluto’s moons) and Thanatos was his brother. I am also adding a couple more…Erebus and Phobetor, both also sons of Nyx (busy lady!)
P4Plutopluto's moonpollSETI
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David Dickinson says:
I’d like to see Ms Patrica Burney Phair, who named Pluto as a young girl get honored in some way as she passed on just a few years ago…a more mythological name might be Alecto, a daughter of Pluto in some tellings of the ancient myths. Another good proposal was made by astronomer Nick Howes (@NickAstronomer on Twitter) of Acheron.
J. Major says:
I think Acheron is a cool name, but it references a place (a river). I think it should stick to character names, IMO.
I think it should be called Firmin, after the modeler of The Clangers who live on and in a sort of rock like this and who have a soup dragon that makes soups for them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clangers
Olaf says:
There are already two asteroids called Cerberus and Rhadamanthus, so I think these names will not be used for “P4”.
I propose the name Thanatos.
From the Wikipedia:
“In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the daemon personification of death. He was a minor figure in Greek mythology, often referred to but rarely appearing in person.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanatos
This would match the size of the moon and the circumstances of the discovery. 😉
Thanatos is a brother of Charon.
An interesting idea. Feel free to put it in the “Other” box in the poll above! (BTW we have the eye of Mr. Showalter and SETI on this poll too!)
I still think we should go with Persephone, if it’s not already taken by another body…
I just checked it. Persephone is used as the name for an asteroid…
Now why would they waste such a great name for a moon of Pluto on a silly old asteroid??
brobof says:
Sorry to be pedantic about this but Erebos “shadow” and husband to Nyx “night” is Erebos with an “Omega.” Not an “Upsilon”
Erebus is the ship and the volcano named after the ship and the crater on Mars.
However I would rename 399 as “Wolf’ (“827 Wolfiana” is hardly a fitting tribute.) and redub Charon as “Persephone.”
I never did like Charon and “Hydra!” Why Hydra? She might have been chthonic (Typhon and Echidna) but was never primordial like Nyx and ErebOs.
But who studies the classics these days 😦
Obviously not the IAU
Crowdsourcing is the way to go. More democratic!
I doubt they are going to be renaming anything. Hard enough to get them to agree on what even to call something in the first place.
Agreed 🙂
Keith sums up my feelings pretty well over at NASAWatch:
“The IAU is so 20th century. Its time to change this process.”
I thing your poll is brilliant! Let’s hope for a big sample!
I think your poll is brilliant! Let’s hope for a big sample!
I did get a response from Mark Showalter at SETI… he said he’d monitor this poll too!
Jeff Barani says:
For me the better name – and I’ve voted for it – is Thanatos.
Because this’s the name of daemon of dead, the brother of goddess Nyx and around Pluto there isn’t (still !!) a name moon which the first letter is a “T”…
Jeff Barani from Vence (France)
I think Tartarus might be a good name.
Again…cool name, but the name of a place. I was sticking to character names.
Bill Housley says:
Break with tradition. Call it Daffy.
I’m not joking, I’m serious. We need a name that encourages an increased interest in astronomy by young people. “Daffy” connects with upcoming generations better and is part of the namespace of a “Pluto” that they connect with better.
I see your point but I have to disagree. Some things I think it’s good to keep at a certain standard. Go that route and soon we’ll be naming planets “Justin Bieber” and “Spongebob”. Staying relevant does not have to mean ignoring all references to our past.
I see your point.
Jim Hendrickson says:
Solver Solversson says:
What about “Proserpina” … as the name is written in Latin?
Furthermore: If there are more satellites around Pluto, then I suggest the contingency plan to name them: a) Orphnaeus [Orphnæus], b) Aethon [Æþon], c) Nycteus and d) Alastor, … after the dark horses of Pluto.
I do think there’s also an asteroid named Proserpina.
I propose “Alecto” (the daughter of Pluto in Virgil’s Aeneid) with a “CT” spelling to pay tribute to Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto.
It’s on the poll above now.
WR says:
Why not call it e.g. Moros (engl.: doom, fate), offspring of Nyx , bother of the Moirae (Fates) ?
If New Horizon finds some more moons, then they could be names after the Moirae.
This gives IMO a much better reason than the widely propagated CT in Alecto of the “Moon around a real planet not a dwarf planet” folks. Clyde Tombaugh was, is, and will be the discoverer of Pluto. So there is no real need of a tribute to CT.
MadFix says:
Picked “Sisyphus” for Other. The ethereal madden king destine to struggle forever a ever tumbling boulder in the Underworld and also cleaver mortal who tricked Thanthos thus prevent death and latter and prolong his post-death until his punishment.
It got that symbolism thing shrouding it for P4. And he a noteworthy inmate of Hades… the next Underworld theme following after deities (Pluto and Nyx), monsters (Hydra), and the ferryman delivering souls (Charron).
Although I voice don’t comprehend this ‘one time myth naming policy’ beyond confusing people. Does the IAU have a page for this? Why not use previous used names (Persephone and Cerbarus, not keen with these either) on astroids which the solar system is defiantly filled with its share of hundreds if not thousands. But verses a more noteworthy solar body? Its ridicules used whatever great names once.
Pingback: Here’s Something Else to Vote On: Names for Pluto’s Newest Moons! « Lights in the Dark
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General History of the Caribbean
General History of the Caribbean pp 8-29 | Cite as
Ethnohistorical Research in the Hispanic Caribbean
Jalil Sued-Badillo
To many people’s surprise, the complementary use of documentary sources and anthropological tools - archaeology, linguistics, social theory, etc. - in the study of the Caribbean is not new, although it has not been known specifically as ‘ethnohistory’. It may be that as in other parts of the world, this type of handling of historical documentation was rather more occasional than systematic, and that its objective was more to study pre- colonial social groups than those who continued their lives after contact with the colonial State. However that may be, we should consider the development of the discipline in the region before we mechanically evaluate or judge it on the basis of external criteria that may be foreign to its particular circumstances. We might recall, for example, the introduction to the book Estudios de Folklore Venezolano by Miguel Acosta Saignes, published in 1962 by the Universidad Central de Venezuela, in which Acosta takes a Marxist point of view in carrying out an important critique of research on the folklore of various marginalized ethnic groups in Venezuela, the discipline that his study at the time was concerned with. This preliminary essay had great impact in the early sixties in Puerto Rico, for example, in spurring on some social scientists to become interested in the study of history. Nor is the interest shown by scholars in the Caribbean in becoming familiar with the early documentary sources new, even though these documents have, for the most part, been kept in the colonial archives at a great distance from those who were interested in seeing them.
See Jalil Sued-Badillo, Introduction to Caribes: Realidad o Fabula, Rio Piedras: Editorial Antillana, 1978Google Scholar
Peter Hume, Colonial Encounters: Europe and the Native Caribbean, London: Methuen, 1986Google Scholar
See Emiliano Tejera, Palabras Indigenas de la isla de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo: Editorial del Caribe, 1953Google Scholar
Coliy Toste, Cayetano, ‘Vocabulario de palabras introducidas en el idioma espanol procedentes del lenguaje Indo-Antillano’, Boletin Histôrico de Puerto Rico VIII (1921), pp. 294–352Google Scholar
Manuel Alvarez Nazario, El Influjo Indigena en el Espanol de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1977Google Scholar
Manuel Alvarez Nazario, Arqueologia Lingüistica, Rio Piedras: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1996Google Scholar
See Juan T. Roigy Mesa, Diccionario botânico de nombres vulgares cubanos, 2 vols., Havana: Ministerio de Agricultura, 1953Google Scholar
Alain Liogier, Diccionario Botânico de nombres vulgares de la Espanola, Santo Domingo: Jardin Botânico Dr Rafael Moscoso, 1974Google Scholar
Esteban Nûnez Melé ndez, Plantas Mé dicinales de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras: UPREstaciün ExperimentalAgricola, 1982Google Scholar
L. Martorell é tal., Catâlogode los nombres vulgares y cientificos de las plantas de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1981Google Scholar
Richard Howard, Flora of the Lesser Antilles, 3 vols, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1974Google Scholar
Dato Pagan Perdomo, Bibliografia General de la Isla de Santo Domingo, 2 vols, San Pedro de Macoris, Dom. Rep.: Universidad Central del Este, 1979Google Scholar
See Vicente Murga Sanz, El Consejo o Cabildo de la Ciudad de San Juan, (1527–1550), Rio Piedras: Editorial Plus Ultra (Histürica Documental de Puerto Rico series), 1956Google Scholar
Aurelio Tio, Nuevas fuentespara la historia de Puerto Rico, San Germán, Puerto Rico: Ediciones de la Universidad Interamericana, 1961Google Scholar
Ricardo Alegria, Elpleito por indios de encomienda entre el Ex-Contador Antonio Sedeho y el Contador Miguel de Castellanos, San Juan: Centro de Estudios Avanzados, San Juan, 1993.Google Scholar
© Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Nature America Inc. 2003
Sued-Badillo J. (2003) Ethnohistorical Research in the Hispanic Caribbean. In: Sued-Badillo J. (eds) General History of the Caribbean. Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Publisher Name Palgrave Macmillan, New York
eBook Packages Palgrave History Collection
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Cursed Games
We are talking about the Cursed Games You Should Never Play… before we get going – what is your favourite game?!
Charlie Charlie So the Charlie Charlie Challenge is adapted from a Spanish paper and pencil game called Juego de la Lapicera – the Pencil Game. Basically the premise of the game is to balance pencils on top of one another with no and yes written in squares. Teenagers then call upon an alleged Mexican demon called Charlie. Players of the game say something like, Charlie Charlie are you here? The pencil then moves and people freak out. Why do the pencils move… clearly because a demon has been summoned… not because of entropay casinos ca There are a lot of videos of people playing the Charlie Charlie game and it almost always entails screaming and running. Many youtubers filmed themselves doing the challenge and garnered millions of views. Is it real…. well according to Mexican historians there is no demon called Charlie… but I don’t know, any game that encourages summon a demon makes me feel sketchy.
Sad Satan Sad Satan is allegedly a cursed video game found on the dark web. Youtube channel obscure horror corner lived up to their name when they shared a scary screen play of the game on their youtube channel and honestly it looks really intense. It also sounds intense and I don’t like that. The player is walking down a dark ally and horrible radio signals start coming through. During the game play, from time to time a blank screen would appear with strange markings. Reddit users decoded the font and said that it was saying things like “kill, kill, kill” and “I can track you.” Finally, at the end the game cuts to a black screen in which the phrase “Suffering Doesn’t End” appears. Doesn’t sound good to me. I’ll probably give playing this one a miss.
The Three Kings I first heard about three kings when I investigated the No Sleep SubReddit, and apparently it is actually a very popular game these days…. I don’t like the sound of it though! What you is play in a large room, preferably a basement with no light source. You are supposed to set up the space with two full length mirrors, three chairs and an item from your childhood. Once you are done with the set up, you are suppose to go to bed and set your alarm for 3.30 am. At exactly 3.30, you are supposed to get up. You can only play if, when you go back to the large room you prepared, nothing has changed. If anything has moved or changed, then this is a warning not to play. You must sit in one of the three chairs at exactky 3.33 am with a lit candle. Once seated, look straight ahead into the darkness and never look into the mirrors nor the candle. At this point you should see or hear a presence – some people say that you will begin to have a conversation with a king, a queen or a fool. Its complicated but apparently when playing this game it is possible to get stuck in an alternate dimension. Because…sure.
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Meet the Finalists: Claire Wahmanholm at the Minnesota Book Awards
Friday, March 15, 2019 - 7:00pm
Elmer L. Andersen Library
222 21st Ave S
Get to know the 2019 Minnesota Book Awards finalists as authors from each category participate in panel discussions about their work. Wilder by Claire Wahmanholm is a finalist in the poetry category. This free public event is presented with the University of Minnesota Libraries.
Light hors d’oeuvres will be served during the reception with cash bar available, and finalist books will be available for purchase.
The winners of the 2019 Minnesota Book Awards will be announced at the Ceremony on Saturday, April 6, at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Saint Paul.
Learn more about the event here. Learn more about the Minnesota Book Awards here.
Claire Wahmanholm
Claire Wahmanholm is the author of Wilder, selected by Rick Barot as winner of the Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry, and Night Vision, winner of the 2017 New Michigan Press/DIAGRAM chapbook competition. She lives and teaches in the Twin Cities.
The winner of the 2018 Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry maps an alien but unnervingly familiar world as it accelerates into cataclysm. Here refugees listen to relaxation tapes that create an Arcadia out of tires and bleach; here the alphabet spells out disaster and devours children. The result is a collection that both beguiles and wounds.
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Synaptic levels of clathrin protein are important for neuronal plasticity
by IDIBELL-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute
Researcher Artur Llobet
Researchers of the group of cellular and molecular neurobiology of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University of Barcelona, led by researcher Artur Llobet, have shown that synaptic levels of the protein clathrin are a determinant factor for synaptic plasticity of neurons.
Chemical synapses and synaptic vesicular transmission cycle
Neurons transmit information in a specialized contact points called synapses. These structures consist of two elements: the presynaptic one, information donor, and postsynaptic, which receives the information. In the case of the presynaptic terminal, information is stored in vesicles containing neurotransmitters. When a stimulus arrives at the presynaptic terminal releases a vesicle by exocytosis. But to prevent the terminal to run out vesicles, immediately after exocytosis, occurs endocytosis. This coupling between exo and endocytosis defines what is known as vesicular synaptic vesicle cycle and is essential for neurons to release information correctly.
The vesicular cycle must adapt to constant changes in neuronal activity, and thus is a determinant of neuronal plasticity.
The dogma of the clathrin
Study investigators have sought to determine the role of clathrin in synaptic plasticity. "This protein is involved in all processes of endocytosis in all cells of the body and until now it was thought that it presents as abundant levels that it wouldn't pose a limiting factor" explained Artur Llobet.
"Our study," adds the researcher "questions this dogma because we found that in periods of intense neuronal stimulation, but within physiological levels, presynaptic levels of clathrin decrease reversibly. Ie levels clathrin are a dynamic property of the terminals".
"This is not surprising, what it is, is that a drop of only 20% are able to alter synaptic function. Specifically, this reduction reduces the number of vesicles that can be released, which has a direct action on exocytosis and therefore on the release of information. "
"In short," said Llobet "we showed that clathrin levels are a limiting factor for synaptic transmission, thus contributes to synaptic plasticity." Article's reference
Amplifying communication between neurons
More information: Francisco J. López-Murcia, Stephen J. Royle and Artur Llobet. Presynaptic Clathrin Levels Are a Limiting Factor for Synaptic Transmission. The Journal of Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUOSCI.5081-13.2014
Journal information: Journal of Neuroscience
Provided by IDIBELL-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute
Citation: Synaptic levels of clathrin protein are important for neuronal plasticity (2014, June 19) retrieved 16 July 2019 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-06-synaptic-clathrin-protein-important-neuronal.html
Loose coupling between calcium channels and sensors
New regulator discovered for information transfer in the brain
Learning and memory: How neurons activate PP1
How our nerves keep firing: Biologists see ultrafast recycling of neurotransmitter-filled bubbles
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England’s thrilling last-ball draw keeps New Zealand series alive
metrowebukmetroWednesday 20 Feb 2008 8:29 am
England celebrate after salvaging a dramatic draw
Paul Collingwood admitted he was relieved after England battled back to salvage a thrilling draw to keep the series alive in today’s fourth one-day international against New Zealand.
Chasing England’s impressive 340 for six, the third highest one-day total in their history, New Zealand appeared to have the game and the series won after progressing to need seven off the final over.
But James Anderson ran out man-of-the-match Jamie How, who hit a brilliant 139 off 116 balls, off the penultimate ball from Luke Wright’s final over and needing two for victory, captain Daniel Vettori scrambled a leg-bye to tie the match.
‘With six or seven overs to go we were pretty much dead and buried,’ admitted Collingwood. ‘They delivered the perfect run-chase.
‘How’s innings was fantastic, they had wickets in hand at the end and we were looking down the barrel so I think the boys will be pretty pleased with getting a tie out of that after being in that position.
‘I think we stepped it up a gear in the last six or seven overs and when the pressure was really on we showed our character today and we dragged something out of the game that we really didn’t look like getting.’
Collingwood had earlier hit the quickest half-century by an England player in a one-day international off only 24 balls to help the tourists add 101 off the final 10 overs and reach their massive total.
But New Zealand kept up with the rate throughout and with Collingwood missing with a shy at the stumps off the final ball, which would have earned victory, England were happy to keep the series alive going into Saturday’s final match in Christchurch.
‘When you’ve got 340 on the board you fancy your chances, but scores are getting bigger and bigger in one-day cricket all the time, especially on wickets like that,’ conceded Collingwood.
‘You could not miss your mark by six inches on that (pitch), especially with the boundaries being so short as well. We weren’t counting our chickens and we knew we’d have to put in a good bowling and fielding performance.’
He stressed: ‘We had to get something out of the game and we didn’t think we’d get anything with six or seven overs to go.
‘When you miss the stumps like that everybody thinks we could have snatched it on the last ball so maybe a tie on the day was the best result. As the ball was released I thought it was hitting and it’s a horrible feeling, but we’ll take the tie.’
Disappointed New Zealand captain Vettori admitted they regarded the tie almost like a defeat after they came so close to wrapping up with the series with a game remaining
‘It probably feels like a loss because it was a game we should have comfortably won from the positions we put ourselves in, but you’ve got give England some credit for the way they bowled in the last six overs,’ he said.
‘We probably just threw it away in the last six and were lucky to get the tie in the end. It is a result based game and after 44 overs we needed something like 42 from 36 balls and on that wicket it should be reasonably comfortable.
‘But you can reflect over the whole game and the spectacle of it and I thought Jamie How’s innings was one of the best one day innings I’ve ever seen so I think cricket people would have loved watching that game.’
Vettori added: ‘If we win this series 3-1 then we’re ecstatic and it would be a fantastic result for us.
‘We’ve got to pick ourselves up pretty quickly and go to Christchurch feeling that we can get ourselves up. England will have the momentum, but a 3-1 result will be one we can be very proud of.’
Daniel VettoriJames AndersonJamie HowLuke WrightPaul Collingwood
Leicester City agree to let Harry Maguire join Manchester United on one condition
England find the Wright answer
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Mueller Deflates Trump’s Claim That Russia Meddling Was Hoax
Donald Trump has insisted for over a year which Russians didn’t attempt to get him elected. Counsel Robert Mueller put an end to those claims on Friday, declaring they did.
A federal grand jury indicted 13 Russian nationals and also a so-called “troll farm” in St. Petersburg on Friday for a broad campaign to influence the 2016 election in Trump’s prefer. The indictment alleges that the surgery was financed to the tune of $1.25 million per month by companies commanded with a Russian businessman near the Kremlin.
The indictment means that Trump can no longer throw doubt on alleged election meddling. His own national security advisor said Saturday that the evidence was#x201C;incontrovertible. ” And when he was harboring fantasies of shooting U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, something many Republicans have warned against, such a transfer might be mathematically impossible.
The White House captured on Rosenstein’s declaration that Friday’s indictment didn’t allege “ any American had some understanding” of this Russian interference, declaring “NO COLLUSION” in a statement. But the special counsel is probing whether Trump or his effort colluded a person familiar with the matter said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking on Saturday in Munich, stated the allegations Russia meddled from the vote are not backed up by any details. “Until we view the facts, everything is blather,” Lavrov stated in the Munich Security Conference. He cited comments from Vice President Mike Pence and other U.S. officials that said the allegations were baseless.
National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, speaking on a panel in the same conference Saturday, rebuffed Lavrov.
“The evidence is currently incontrovertible and available from the public domain, whereas previously it was hard to attribute,”.
The U.S. intelligence community’s previous assertions that Russia interfered in the election, based on classified evidence never revealed to the public, were readily dismissed by Trump and his allies. Currently there are concrete fees that Russians defrauded the U.S. government, with memos and other evidence to back up the allegations.
Read: Mueller Accuses Russians of Pro-Trump, Anti-Clinton Meddling
“It’s much harder for him to be able to impugn the integrity of sworn testimony in open court regarding the aim of the Russians to interfere in our elections,” stated Michael Allen, managing director of Beacon Global Plans, a team that advises clients on global, cyber and homeland security policy.
Trump appeared to comprehend the landscape himself.
In a series of tweets Saturday afternoon, Trump said that the press “doesn’t want to say the Russian group had been formed in 2014. ” He pointed out that Rosenstein stated “there’s no allegation in the indictment that any American has been a knowing participant in this action. ”
Trump has — and often — described allegations of Russian meddling in the election. ”
Investigation Continues
His attorneys complimented Mueller though they used the past tense –“did” — to explain his job, implying optimism that the analysis has concluded.
It’s not. Rosenstein, in his news conference, said nothing regarding potential indictments.
Some found from the indictment doubt about Trump’s presidency.
“The clear conclusion is that Donald Trump’s election as president can no longer be considered valid,” said Anders Aslund, a resident senior fellow in the Atlantic Council that specializes in Russian economic policy.
Rosenstein said the indictment does not allege “ the charged conduct shifted the results of the 2016 election. ”
Aslund called a “deep freeze” on U.S.-Russian relations; none of those indicted Russians are in U.S. custody. Rosenstein said the U.S. would request their extradition.
Allen, a former advisor to President George W. Bush and House Intelligence Committee Republicans, said the indictment makes it harder for Trump to challenge the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence community, and gives Rosenstein “sort of a bulletproof vest” against being terminated or undercut. Such moves now would look like punishment.
Others and Allen said that to avoid being weakened, Trump should immediately stop openly denying the Russian election meddling. “It’s not too late to rally and say, ‘nobody is more upset about that than I am and here’s what I’m definitely going to do about it,”’ Allen stated.
Trump’s Narrative
But Trump’s political stature is entwined with all the narrative he has assembled that #x2019 & Mueller;s probe is a “witch search” precipitated by Democrats.
“No, Russia didn’t help me, that I can tell you,” Trump told supporters in September at an Alabama political rally. “Any Russians from the audience? I don’t find many Russians. ”
He’s repeatedly mentioned  assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin in maintaining his skepticism.
“Each time he sees me, he says, ‘I didn’t do this’ Trump said after a November meeting with Putin in Vietnam. “And I believe when he informs me that he suggests it. If you’d like to understand the reality, I believe he & #x2019; s very insulted by it. ”
If he abandons public naivete, he could only regain credibility, stated a senior fellow for studies in the Council on Foreign Relations and a former State Department official, Steve Sestanovich.
“Trump has got to stop using that ‘he-says-he’s-innocent’ line about Putin,” Sestanovich said.
Read: http://www.bloomberg.com/
Related Items:Council on Foreign Relations, Donald John Trump, Federal Bureau of Investigation, national security, politics, Rod J Rosenstein, russia, SPECIAL COUNSEL, St. Petersburg, U.S. Republicans, White House
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Schwarzenegger says Trump was like a ‘little wet noodle’ next to Putin
Russian plane crash outside Moscow leaves 71 dead
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The Liberal Democrats take control of Mole Valley!
LibDem Councillors after the recent local elections
Find out more about the LibDems winning across Mole Valley here
Join the Liberal Democrats Today
Register for FREE email updates
Make a donation to Mole Valley Liberal Democrats
Littering under Scrutiny
Article: Jul 11, 2019
The Lib Dem administration considers the problem of roadside littering in Mole Valley to be a critical issue that needs a comprehensive solution.
At the Council meeting on 9th July the opposition proposed a motion to adopt the 'Don't be a Tosser' Keep Britain Tidy campaign from January 2018. Whilst well-meaning, this is an inadequate yet potentially costly response. Furthermore it does not reflect the Council's existing activities including support for local litter picks, the need for fuller engagement by Surrey County Council as Highways Authority, or indeed the need to keep our recycling centres free and open for household waste.
Celebrating Diversity in Mole Valley
At the Council Meeting on Tuesday 9th July the Lib Dems supported the opposition motion to positively celebrate local diversity in Mole Valley. We made some amendments to ensure proper management and effective use of limited council resources and agreed to promote inclusion in all appropriate future communication.
Molebridge GP surgery - SAFE FOR NOW
Article: Jun 28, 2019
Today we received the wonderful news that the Molebridge Practice's application to close its Fetcham surgery has been withdrawn. Read the Statement.
We would like to thank everyone who joined the campaign to retain a GP surgery in Fetcham - whether signing our petition, going out in the rain to collect signatures, or responding to the survey/consultation. We leafleted every house, we gave interviews to the press and on radio, we asked questions at the County and District Councils, and we spoke to NHS representatives - all to make sure decision-makers understood the strength of feeling within the community.
Lib Dems secure unanimous cross-party support for Climate Emergency motion
The Liberal Democrats successfully steered their Climate Emergency motion through an Extraordinary meeting of Mole Valley District Council on Tuesday 18th June. The result was met with delight and cheers from the public viewing gallery.
This now empowers the Lib Dem administration to drive ahead with policies and programmes that will enable Mole Valley to be one of the leading councils in the country delivering effective measures to help safeguard our world from the damaging effects of global warming.
Pippbrook Mill Footpath
It's eighteen months since Mole Valley District Council sought to sell the footpath in front of Pippbrook Mill between Fairfield Drive and London Road, then backed down in the face of very significant opposition from residents, and the District and County Councils made a joint commitment to register the footpath on the Definitive Footpath Map.
Fetcham Surgery - update on petition
Many thanks to the hundreds of residents who have so far signed our petition to retain a GP surgery in Fetcham, following the Molebridge Practice's application to close its Fetcham surgery from 20 August. And particular thanks to those of you who have printed off a copy of the petition and collected signatures from friends and neighbours. If you have not yet signed you can do so here: mvld.org.uk/fetchamgp Or you can download a signature sheet for your friends and nieghbours to sign.
Lib Dems top Mole Valley Euro poll
Article: Jun 3, 2019
In the European Parliamentary election results, announced on Sunday 26th May, the Liberal Democrats came top of the polls with 11,055 votes ahead of the The Brexit Party with 9,920. The Green Party came third. Full Mole Valley results.
Mole Valley's poll contributed to a successful result for the Liberal Democrats in the South-East region, where our sitting MEP Catherine Bearder was joined by Antony Hook and Judith Bunting. Nationally the Lib Dems came second in the polls and went from having a single MEP to having 16.
Petition: Retain a GP surgery in Fetcham
Petition: Jun 3, 2019
Petition suspended - see "Molebridge Gp surgery - safe for now!"
We are extremely concerned about the impact of closing the Fetcham surgery of the Molebridge Practice which would leave many Fetcham residents without access to local GP services. The loss of Fetcham's only GP surgery will particularly affect elderly residents and those with limited mobility and transport. It will also undermine local pharmacies and other related businesses in Fetcham, and put increasing pressure on other GP surgeries in Bookham and Leatherhead which are already overstretched.
Retain a GP surgery in Fetcham
Mole Valley Liberal Democrats have started a petition to retain a GP surgery in Fetcham in response to residents' concerns about the proposed closure of the Molebridge Practice's Fetcham Surgery from 20th August 2019. If authorised this closure would leave Fetcham, which has a population of nearly 10,000 residents, without any local GP services.
Article: May 27, 2019
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Authorities Put OiNK Out Of Torrent Business
Invite-only BitTorrent site OiNK has been put to sleep for the time being by UK and Dutch police. Seems like the site’s policy to offer pre-release music to its users really got on the authorities’ nerves.
The authorities stated that OiNk had been under investigation for two years the IFPI and British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
"OiNK was central to the illegal distribution of pre-release music online. This was not a case of friends sharing music for pleasure. This was a worldwide network that got hold of music they did not own the rights to and posted it online," the IFPI said in a statement.
The UK police arrested a 24-year-old man and performed searches in two locations: his father’s and his employer’s house. In the mean time, the Dutch police raided several locations in Amsterdam, including OiNK’s servers datacenter. In addition, more than 180,000 names and email addresses were also confiscated.
The BitTorrent site was famous for being able to be one of the first to get hold of pre-release albums and leak them way before their official launch date. Around 60 pre-release albums were made available through the service this year, claims the IFPI.
Up till now, OiNK’s operators thought they couldn’t be reached by the long arm of the law because all members could register only after receiving an invitation. Needless to say, they were wrong.
Categories: Internet Tags: authorities, business, oink, torrent
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Comcast and AT&T Support RIAA’s New Anti-Piracy Plan
Google Says: iPhone Was The Most-Searched Item In 2007
YouTube Unveils Copyright Protection Measures, Beta Phase
Facebook Investigated In Canada Over Shady Privacy Policy
Search Engine Wars In The US: The October Report
The Pitcairn Islands In Pole Position In The Spam Top
TorrentSpy Collaborator Turns To MPAA
Microsoft Launches Windows Live Translator
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N30bn Is Missing From NSITF – Labour Minister, Chris Ngige Cries Out
Dr. Chris Ngige has given reasons why he refused to inaugurate the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund as directed by the President.
The minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has raised alarm stating that N30 billion is missing from the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), according to LeadershipNG.
This comes after the minister inaugurated other boards but failed to inaugurate the NSITF board which is under the Ministry of Labour. The boards inaugurated by the minister include those of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), and Michael Imoudu National institute for Labour Studies (MINILS).
Giving reasons why the board was not inaugurated alongside others yesterday, Ngige said he had the consent of the president to stay action on inaugurating the NSITF board the pending the outcome of the administrative enquiry recently set up by the ministry to investigate the mindless looting of the agency.
The minister urged members of the other boards so inaugurated to be accountable in the discharge of their mandates to avoid a repeat of the rot in the NSITF.
Ngige said: “The operations of the various parastatals must strictly conform to financial regulations, especially Section 32 and the provisions of the Procurement Act. The audited accounts of the parastatals must always be prepared and submitted to the relevant authorities as and when due.
“The NSITF, for example, is reeling from massive looting with no audited account for five years. A whooping sum of N5billion was unearthed by an audit panel of enquiry as having been taken out of the NSITF coffers with First Bank in a single day without vouchers.
“Worse still, the organisation maintained no cash book as required by financial regulations. This resulted in massive looting of funds by board members acting in concert with the management staff.
READ Ogun to set up cattle ranch soon – Abiodun
“When we say N5 billion was taken in one day, that’s not the only amount missing. Over N30billion cannot be accounted for and the members of the past board participated actively in the looting. We want to know how board members, who are not part of the management, found their way so deep to have participated in plundering of the agency,” Ngige said.
The labour minister revealed that some indicted management staff and members of the previous board, including their chairman, had been charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“We don’t want the new board to go into a stench; putting a new wine in an old wine skin, it will be polluted. That’s why the president agreed for us to do an administrative enquiry there to explain the total failure of the internal audit mechanism for checking that no money leaves the establishment without voucher, and in this instance, over N30 billion missing and N5 billion of it without any voucher, no trace. It is unacceptable,” he stated.
Ngige asserted that having discovered that the former board was neck deep in massive corruption, it was imperative to forestall recurrence. He, therefore, said that once the panel of enquiry concluded its findings and government issued a gazette on its conclusions, a new board would be inaugurated.
“We will make sure that people who are going there will be people of character and quality so that such a thing will never happen again because the NSITF is the flagship board of this ministry and for the constituent tripartite organisations,” he said.
READ Nigeria Airways: Reps to revisit report on looted N60bn
Minimum wage: Nigerian workers to smile soon – Ngige
Hoodlums Hired To Assassinate Chris Ngige, Arrested In Anambra (Photos)
New minimum wage: Employee can’t fix figure for employer, accept what we give you – FG tells Labour
JOHESU Strike: Return To Work, Government Tells Health Workers
Many Nigerians still jobless – NASS tells Buhari govt
ASUU strike: Details of FG meeting with union leaders emerge
2 Nigerians Arrested Over $500K In Stolen Items In The US
Nigerian Caught With 1.21 Kg Of Heroin In India (Photos)
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Nov 10, 2017 News Hour Correspondent -
‘Gut feel’ as Jones rests Farrell, Itoje for Pumas
Eddie Jones is banking on his racehorse trainer-style “gut feel” paying dividends against Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday after leaving out both Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje for England’s end-of-year Test series opener.
The Australian has omitted the Saracens duo on the grounds of their “exceptional workloads” this season, after saying he would rest some of those England players involved in the gruelling British and Irish Lions 1-1 series win in New Zealand earlier this year.
Former Australia and Japan coach Jones was glad of the way the pair had reacted to missing the Argentina match, while insisting he had no qualms over his decision.
“They hated it, which is a great reaction,” Jones told reporters at England’s hotel in Bagshot, southwest of London, on Thursday. “They hate it because they want to play every Test.”
Jones, however, added: “At the end of the day they have got to understand I run the team.
“I make the decisions. And I make those decisions in the best interests of the team and for the individual.”
Eddie JonesSports
Ioc lifts suspension of Kuwait olympic committee
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Public Hearing Today On Port Authority’s Planned Hikes At Bridges, Tunnels And Area AirportsLast month, the agency laid out plans to raise tolls at bridge and tunnels and increase fares on PATH service and the trains to John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty international airports
Nominations For 71st Emmy Awards Set To Be Announced This MorningThe 71st Emmy Awards will air Sept. 22 on Fox, with the host yet to be announced.
Man Killed, Wife Hospitalized In Carbon Monoxide Incident In Melville
Filed Under:carbon monoxide, Jennifer McLogan, Local TV, Long Island, Melville, New York
MELVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – A man has died after exposure to carbon monoxide at his Melville home Thursday morning, Suffolk County Police said.
His wife was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment in a bariatric chamber.
It happened at a home on Scott Drive at around 8:30 a.m.
Stephen Yancofski, 55, and his wife Kyriaki Bouziotas, 59, of Melville, Long Island. (Credit: Robert Deturris)
Suffolk County Police identified the victims as contractor Stephen Yancofski, 55, and his wife Kyriaki Bouziotas, 59.
Officials believe the carbon monoxide was emitting from a detached fitting on a pvc pipe disconnected from a water heating exhaust vent in the basement.
“The mother called her daughter. She was throwing up all morning,” said Suffolk County Police Chief Kevin Beyrer. “The daughter came. She lives local. She came to the house. At that time her stepfather was unconscious. Nine one one instructed her to try and get the two people outside the house. She explained to the 911 operators what was happening. She was unable to get them out of the house due to their weakened condition.”
A man died and his wife was hospitalized after carbon monoxide poisoning in Melville on Feb. 21, 2018. (credit: CBS2)
When firefighters arrived, their portable carbon monoxide detectors sounded with loud alarms, reported CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan.
The victims’ son and son in law were embraced by neighbors and loved ones when they arrived at the home following the tragedy. They thanked first responders for doing their best to try to save their parents’ lives.
Sadly, Yancofski became a grandfather just last night when his son’s wife gave birth.
Neighbors describe him as a knowledgeable contractor who helped them all with home repairs. Some were baffled that he had no carbon monoxide detector in his own home.
“Like a shoemaker doesn’t have a good pair of shoes, doesn’t think of himself,” said neighbor Robert Deturris.
“It’s a little scary. It’s something that can happen at any point, have to make sure everything’s in order in the house,” said neighbor Michael Koulias.
“Nice guy. Fifty four years old. He was my best neighbor. He introduced me to the neighborhood,” said John Pospisil. “Awesome guy. Porch night – right over there we always had porch night – me, him, all the neighbors here had porch night. You know, it was like a fraternity.”
Officials say the incident serves as a tragic reminder of having functioning carbon monoxide detectors in the home, McLogan reported.
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Stanley Cup Final Preview: Who has better coaching?
Leading up to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final (Monday, 8 p.m. ET, NBC), Pro Hockey Talk will be looking at every aspect of the matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Barry Trotz doesn’t have a contract beyond the conclusion of this current season. He entered the year with no job security, no sense of what his future would hold and still steering his troops to the top of the heap in the Metropolitan Division, and now, the Stanley Cup Final.
Washington’s start to the season didn’t help and rumors of Trotz’s pending axing swirled. But the man who sits fifth all-time in coaching wins turned his team around.
Trotz has found another gear behind the bench and has guided the Caps with calmness during these playoffs. It’s paid off. The Capitals were able to exercise their demons against the Pittsburgh Penguins and then come back from being 3-2 down against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Oh, and he did this:
There isn’t a world where Gerard Gallant doesn’t win the Jack Adams this year for top bench boss in the NHL. He’s simply done the unthinkable with a team no one expected to be competing, never mind being one of two teams set to do battle for the Stanley Cup.
Look, Gallant was given a bunch of players from all over the league and a mandate to try and figure out how they all fit together, who plays on what line. Who pairs with who on defense. What the power play and penalty kill look like. It was a tall task to begin with, but Gallant has nailed it every step of the way.
There’s been lots of talk of how poorly the Panthers fared when they lost both Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith in the expansion draft. But one of Florida’s biggest losses was firing Gallant and leaving him on the side of the road.
That decision paved the way for Gallant to join the Golden Knights and smash nearly every record by an expansion team ever.
Gallant has given his players the controls. Mistakes don’t mean less ice time. Gallant has inspired his team and doesn’t have them playing scared. It’s a perfect approach and one that’s evidently paid off.
Advantage: Golden Knights
Trotz is a great coach, but there’s just something about the spirited way Gallant has Vegas playing that simply cannot be denied. We’ve seen it all season and all playoffs.
2018 STANLEY CUP FINAL PREVIEW:
• Who has the better forwards?
• Who has better defense?
• Who has better special teams?
• Stanley Cup Final Schedule
Tags: Barry Trotz, Gerard Gallant, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith
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matthiasregan.org
Poetics Politics Popular Culture
Weird Fiction Review #4: The Night Ocean
Weird Fiction Review #3: The Fisherman
Weird Fiction Review #2: Lovecraft Country
Weird Fiction Review #1 The Ballad of Black Tom
Contemporary Weird Novels
Weird Fiction Review… on Contemporary Weird Novels
Joan Lindsay’s… on The Night Ocean: Weird Fiction…
Eric on REMEMBERING DEREK WALCOTT
We Jam Econo | The P… on We Jam Econo
REMEMBERING DEREK WALCOTT
I studied poetry with Derek Walcott at Boston University during the 2004-5 academic year. It was a one-year M.A. program in Creative Writing; I was there to study with Robert Pinsky, whose poetry had captivated me a few years before. Upon arrival, I discovered that our first writing course would be taught by Walcott, whose name and I work I didn’t know.
This ignorance was, perhaps, partially excusable. My eyes & ears were open to all kinds of poetry in those days–full of an intellectual hunger, since waned–but no one had introduced me to Caribbean poetry. There was, of course, no Google search (I wrote my B.U. thesis on a typewriter; this was also the year I met “web mail” and “the internet,” both of which, to my misfortune, I found uninteresting), so my first impressions of Walcott were, shall we say, untainted by prior information. (I’m trying not to be nostalgic, but O, how sweet was the world when a greater part was encountered in the flesh!)
Walcott was (in rough order of first impressions) intimidating, hilarious, sobering, enlivening. I was more intimidated by his mustache, tweed jacket and manner than by the Nobel Prize he’d won only a few years earlier (and which he was quick to discount, with sincere humility, the few times it was brought up). I’d become used to casual, friendly Professors (Pinsky was such); now we sat in a room with a man who demanded (rather than invited us to discuss) that we tell him what we knew about poetry, and who scoffed (rather than ate a sigh) at our ignorance.
There were twelve in the class; we sat at school desks in a circle around the edge of a small, tastefully decorated room on the second or third floor of a B.U. building overlooking the Charles. There was no syllabus, no books assigned. On the first day, Walcott assessed our ignorance, which was vast. He told us to show up for the next class having memorized W. H. Auden’s “The Fall of Rome.” I rushed to the Grolier Poetry Book Shop to buy a copy of the Selected Poems. Amy helped me learn the lines in the basement flat where I’d rented a room (close to campus, but otherwise a dismal affair owned by a depressed gay republican astrologer who kept four cats, a hundred fish, and a life-sized porcelain bust of Reagan above the toilet). I can still recite the poem at a moment’s notice. It begins:
The piers are pummeled by the waves;
In a lonely field, the rain
Lashes an abandoned train;
Outlaws fill the mountain caves.
Fantastic grow the evening gowns;
Agents of the fisc pursue
Absconding tax-defaulters through
The sewers of provincial towns.
As promised, the second class began with Walcott telling us to recite the poem, together. We tried and failed. Tried again, flailed our voices to bring them into sync while remembering our lines. “Pathetic,” was his comment. He told us to be prepared to try again, individually and together, the next time we met. He then explained the dense beauty of the poem, syllable by syllable. He liked how in the first line the l and d of “pummeled” visually mimic the slap of waves against the m’s of the pier; how the word “waves” withdrew, as though sucked out into the storm. “Lash” was the perfect word to describe what rain does to the surface of a wrecked train. “At what point in a nation’s history do outlaws fill the caves?” he asked. A dictator in power, the conditions for revolt at hand, but no organized rebellion. He taught us to marvel at the class antagonism that gaped in the space between the first and second stanzas. “Imagine what sewers at like in the provinces,” he insisted. “Now imagine the tax-man chasing you through them.” He asked us to imagine an equally difficult feat: writing a poem, in plain English, with rhymes that were half as sure-footed and profound. “I can’t do it,” he told us, “you sure as hell can’t do it. But it’s pleasant to imagine.” In my recollection, he asked us to think about the poem for more than two hours; at the end of which time, no one thought the poem to have been fully dissected.
Our next assignment was Auden’s “September 1, 1939”. It took perhaps three or four weeks for us to recite and understand the poem to a satisfactory degree. We next turned to Hardy; spent hours on “During Wind and Rain”: a novel condensed into four intricately crafted stanzas. Twenty-two difficult years later, I teach these poems and turn to them frequently, companions now, grooves worn deeply into the synapses.
Walcott taught play-writing to another group of students in the afternoon. A few weeks into the term, he invited us to participate in a semi-regular ritual. After class, six or seven of us would walk with him three or four blocks up Commonwealth Ave to a Vietnamese restaurant near the theater. “Lunch is on me,” he’d proclaim. He led the way, closely trailed by whomever was brave enough to make small-talk with ,him; he was irreverent and caustic, without forsaking his dignity. Once, he karate-kicked open the restaurant door, briefly showing us a sand-brown old man’s skinny shin. He scared us with a simple rule, introduced at the first such lunch: “You can order whatever you want. But you must give our waitress your order in complete sentences, without any ‘ah’s,’ ‘um’s’ or ‘err’s.’” He deployed the way U.S. schoolchildren were allowed to fill their speech with meaningless conjunctions. It was a symptom of white supremacy, the casual refusal of proper grammar when speaking aloud. The penalty for fucking up was you had to pay for your own lunch. This was a serious. Most of us had few bucks in our pockets and no credit cards; the nearest ATM was maybe three blocks away. The waitresses, I recall, were used to his antics.
He was one of few people I’ve met who possessed an actual eye-twinkle. He could bark scornful laughter, wrinkle his nose and brows in amusement, and scare up a devastating glare. But he could also generate a spark, slightly lascivious (as glee always is), that danced only in the eyes: a knowledgeable quickness, as though the Wordsworthian child in him had never been snuffed out. It said, “Wow! Can’t believe this shit! The world continues to surprise.”
After lunch, we were allowed to sit quietly in the audience to observe the play-writing workshop. This was his passion at B.U. He’d founded perhaps the most important counter-institution of the Caribbean renaissance, the Trinidad Theater Workshop in 1950. In 1971, Dream on Monkey Mountain had won an Obie. Ten years later, he’d organized the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, which allowed novice playwrights to work with actors and stage sets. Walcott would often sit in the audience, letting the students learn how to rewrite their scenes by watching them. Once I saw him intervene. With a few simple commands to the actors, he turned a scene that wasn’t coming together into a story narrated by one character to others from another scene. He placed the narrator and his audience downstage and cut the narrated scene into segments, performed between and often at odds with the narrator’s story. The original script’s incoherence was turned into itself, producing two or three new layers of meaning. A banal, middle-class drama became a stunning examination of class habitus. I learned two-thirds of what I know about modernism, deconstruction, and postcolonialism in that moment. I was becoming habituated to the logics behind these theories in other courses, but it was here that I encountered, for the first time and all at once, the practical aesthetics.
Wolcott once told us that, determined to “master the sonnet,” he got up each morning at five and wrote a sonnet before coffee, breakfast, and teaching. He did this for several years. I tried it, but after a week I gave up. I lacked stamina, or was it motivation? Wishing to understand formal verse–I’d been brought up on haiku, confessional poetry and the avant-garde–I brought a sonnet to our first one-on-one critique. It was a serious and humble poem, about the day I chopped a garden toad in half with a carelessly placed shovel, rhyming this event with my father’s death earlier that year. All the rhymes were in place. Walcott was unimpressed. “Do you compose on a typewriter?” he asked, giving me the glare. “Yes,” I confessed. “You can hear it’s clatter in the lines. The sound of the machine mars this verse. It’s rough and ugly.” “But the event was ugly,” I stammered. “Oh, poor you, killed a toad. Father dead. Who cares?” He dismissed me. “Next time,” he said, “bring me something you’ve written with a pen. The music has to come from the silence. Give up the typewriter; it’s distracting.”
As the term came to an end, and we’d recited our Yeats, Walcott consented to discussing one of his own books. We read (his choice) The Arkansas Testament, published in 1987 and dedicated to Seamus Heaney, whose reading we’d all just attended. (What a thrill to sit in the audience with these other poets–readings by the Boston Circle of the time (Bidart, Pinsky, Glück, Warren, Hill and Heaney) were often attended by peers as well as students; Walcott was the only one we didn’t see read). I rushed to Grolier’s to get a copy before the rest of the class.
We tried to prove how much we appreciated him (not everyone did, of course) by reading his own poetry with the intensity that he’d taught us to apply to Auden and Hardy. He mostly sat back with a slightly embarrassed smirk. One hand on chin, listening, which is why I chose the above photo. Sometimes he leaned forward to intervene. He helped us to understand the politics of Caribbean nationalism behind “A Latin Primer,” which begins:
I had nothing against which
to notch the growth of my work
but the horizon, no language
but the shallows in my long walk
home, so I shook all the help
my young right hand could use
from the sand-crusted kelp
of distant literatures.
One sentence across two Audenesque stanzas; formal perfection justifies the explanation and boast. Each word a resonant knot: “the language” of “the shallows” is both waves plashing across the poet’s feet and the shallow culture of St. Lucia’s limited horizon; the “sand-crusted kelp” is not kelp at all, but the British tradition. The explanation is slightly defensive: what was a boy to do, but learn the tradition that provided immediate assistance? It’s counteracted by the mastery of said tradition. The poem continues for several pages, describing with Joycean precision the episodes of humiliation and pride that accompanied his quest for a culture he would have to make if it was to have true purchase. The epiphany comes when, one evening, depressed from teaching Latin lessons to students who “would die in dialect,” he sees a frigate bird and recognizes it in english, Latin and patois simultaneously:
[…] named with the common sense
of fishermen: sea scissors,
Fregata magnificens,
Ciseau-la-mer, the patois
for its cloud-cutting course;
and that native metaphor
made by the strokes of oars,
with one wing beat for scansion,
that slowly levelling V
made one with my horizon
as it sailed steadily
beyond the sheep-nibbled columns
of fallen marble trees,
or the roofless pillars once
sacred to Hercules.
A sentence that stretches over four stanzas; “patois” rhymed with “metaphor,” “scansion” with the “horizon” that in the first stanza failed to “notch” his success. The “native metaphor” allows another flight–across modern English literature. It is a modernist move, the sudden shift in perspective as the bird sails into the classical tradition, crossing time and space to become a bird Homer might have seen, wading in the surf.
In the 1970s and 80s, at the height of Caribbean cultural nationalism, critics and poets sometimes compared Walcott to Kamau Brathwaite in order to distinguish between an “old-guard” anticolonialism and a more radical, more Black, poetics. Neither poet made much of this distinction; they were obviously pursuing different literary projects for similar reasons. Brathwaite brought the patois into Caribbean literature; Walcott sought to challenge the colonial tradition from within. At it’s best, his poetry deconstructed the British tradition from within; lesser poems fail to pull of the mimicry. They become brittle when too self-consciously elegant, but glimmer with a joyful intensity when formal mastery allows him to reimagine the British tradition with loving irony, such as one finds in some of Kerry James Marshall’s landscapes, such as Gulf Stream (2003):
Walcott’s Omeros, his version of the Odyssey, is rightly regarded as his masterpiece; for me, it was “The Arkansas Testament,” a narrative poem that recounts a visit to the home of the Confederacy. Riffing on Lowell, Walcott begins by touring a Confederate cemetery:
The young stones, flat on their backs,
their beards curling like mosses,
have no names; an occasional surge
in the pines mutters their roster
while their centennial siege,
their entrenched metamorphosis
into cones and needles, goes on.
This formal elegance honors the dead, but somewhat foolishly. Already by the second stanza, Wolcott brings us into his black body; exhausted from travel, he falls asleep on the cheap motel bed, awakening to feel, “through the chained door, / darkness entering Arkansas.” Brilliantly, the threat is palpable because it’s not there.
The next morning, before the sun has risen, with “Pajams crammed into my jacket, / the bottoms stuffed into trousers,” the poet hurries through the empty streets, searching caffeine. He waits
for a while by the grass
of a urinous wall to let
the revolving red eye on top
of a cruising police car pass
Finding an open cafeteria, with whites glaring and blacks behind the counter, he orders his coffee to go. “I looked for my own area,” he writes, For several intensely written stanzas, his scrupulous attention to the formalities of English-language verse coincides with scrupulous attention to the culture of the post-Jim Crow color line:
The self-contempt that it takes
to find my place card among any
of the faces reflected in lakes
of lacquered mahogany
comes easily now. I have laughed
loudest until silence kills
the shoptalk. A fork clicks
on its plate; a cough’s rifle shot
shivers the chandeliered room.
A bright arm shakes its manacles.
Every candle-struck face stares into
the ethnic abyss. In the oval
of a silver spoon, the window
bent in a wineglass, the offal
of flattery fed to my craft,
I watch the bright clatter resume.
Coffee in hand, the sun rises as the poet walks back to his hotel. As “day broadened” the neighborhood into the “prose of an average American town,” he muses on on-going “racial rage,” the Confederate cemetery and the underground railroad. As the sunlight diminishes the sense of threat, internal, personal doubts emerge:
My shadow’s scribbled question
on the margin of the street
asks, Will I be a citizen
or an afterthought of the state?
His doubts extend to the “place” he was assigned in the critical controversy over Caribbean postcolonial culture:
Can I swear to uphold my art
that I share with them too, or worse,
pretend all is past and curse
from the picket lines of my verse
the concept of Apartheid?
The shadow bends to the will
as our oaths of allegiance bend
to the state. What we know of evil
is that it will never end.
The strong allusion to “September 1, 1939” in the last line above helps to convey Walcott’s stance. Like Auden, he insists upon uncomfortable compromise. We know what evil is; we see it all around us. We have to live with it. We have, somehow, to make the most of it. We are always “thrown” in the philosophical sense of always being in the middle of something we did and didn’t choose. We make our history, but never with the terms of our choosing.
So buoyed, I left B.U. determined to be the poet of my tribe–whatever that was. Walcott caused me to believe that by becoming masterful at a craft, one might also find a way to sing the truth. In the several decades since, I largely failed to become the poet and person I wanted to become. Editors don’t like my verse, and various attempts at counter-institutions floundered between the Scylla of No Money and the Charybdis of No Time. Derek Walcott had something to help with failure, too. Once he showed several of us three file drawers crammed with manuscripts. “These are the rejections,” he explained. I gaped. I had never thought there could be so many. I keep similar file drawers today.
Posted on March 25, 2017 Author matthiasregan
One thought on “REMEMBERING DEREK WALCOTT”
Matthias:
As you might remember, I was a classmate of yours in 1994-95. I remember virtually none of what you wrote, probably because my Scylla of No Money was exacerbated by my Charybdis of Immaturity, and even when I was present, I wasn’t present. I do not recall but once accompanying Derek to lunch. I do not recall him calling us “Pathetic,” but that sounds about right. I do not recall many of the specifics you recite, but I do not doubt them at all.
For me, Derek was an example of tenacious ego pushing furiously forward and proof that such ego can cause talent to “become.” His few one-on-one conversations with me regarded “talent,” and I am pretty comfortable with his determination that I had none. (I was “boring.” Ok.) But he had a bunch, and it was, in his words, “intense.” No doubt, as proved by such excellent poems as “The Arkansas Testament,” “Omeros,” Midsummer,” and on and on.
Thanks for the homily/elegy/reflection.
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Redraidermaven gets a boost with Maven
Two decades of Red Raider experience drives deep coverage for fans
Chad Conine, who has more than 20 years of experience covering Texas football, brings Texas Tech Red Raiders fans ultimate insights via Redraidermaven.io. Conine is providing constant coverage of the team throughout football season with interviews, videos, expert opinions and fan engagement, and will add basketball starting later this year.
Conine has covered Big 12 and high school sports in Texas since 1996. He’s served as a sports reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Waco Tribune-Herald. He joined the the TSX team in 2012, covering college basketball and football, adding the Dallas Cowboys to his beat in 2017 season.
Additionally, Conine authored two books: The Republic of Football: Legends of the Texas High School Game, and Texas Sports: Unforgettable Stories for Every Day of the Year.
Redraidermaven is a part of Maven’s sports network, an alliance with TSX.
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Switchblade Sisters Episode 68: 'Labyrinth' with 'Solace' Director Tchaiko Omawale
Posted Thu, 02/21/2019 - 15:38 by Casey O'Brien | 0 comments
Switchblade Sisters
Tchaiko Omawale
Tchaiko graduated from Columbia University before going on to intern for Spike Lee and Mira Nair. While assisting directors George C. Wolfe and Tom Vaughan she directed several short-form projects, including America's Shadows: HIV Risk in Black & Latino Youth. In 2012, she wrote the script called Solace, which would eventually become her feature debut. At that time, it was a semi-finalist for the Sundance Writers Lab. In 2015, the project became a recipient of the Panavision New Filmmakers Program. Solace premiered at the LA Film Festival 2018, winning Special Jury Mention Best Ensemble Cast. Tchaiko was a 2017 School of Making Thinking resident fellow where she created the VR film Shapeshifters. In between her independent projects she produces and directs commercials and branded content.
The movie that Tchaiko has chosen to discuss this week is the wonderful, wacky, goblin-y, Labyrinth. April and Tchaiko touch upon the arousing gender fluidity of David Bowie's character "Jerith." Tchaiko talks about how she strives to make "imperfect" films. She also elaborates on being inspired by nature in the writing of her next fantasy film. Plus, there's a lot of puppet talk - from the construction to the puppeteering itself. If you love Labyrinth, you will love this discussion.
You can watch the trailer for Tchaiko's feature Solace here.
If you haven't seen it yet, go watch Labyrinth.
With April Wolfe and Tchaiko Omawale.
You can let us know what you think of Switchblade Sisters on Twitter or Facebook.
Or email us at switchbladesisters@maximumfun.org.
Produced by Casey O'Brien and Laura Swisher for MaximumFun.org.
april wolfe
Gender Nonconforming
Gender Variance
Toni Basil
Ep 19: Go Fact Yourself with Alison Becker and Glynn Washington
Posted Fri, 09/07/2018 - 10:31 by Julian Burrell | 0 comments
Theresa Iker, Alison Becker, J. Keith Van Straaten, Glynn Washington, Helen Hong and Jason E. Hill
Go Fact Yourself
Alison Becker and Glynn Washington
Theresa Iker
Jason E. Hill
J. Keith van Straaten
Helen Hong
Glynn Washington is the host and creator of the public radio show Snap Judgment. Fun fact: He actually got his radio show started by winning a radio contest. Snap Judgment is all about “storytelling with a beat,” and, with a little help from Helen Hong, Glynn will explain why.
Alison Becker is an actress who’s perhaps best known for playing Shauna Malwae-Tweep on Parks and Recreation (people still recognize her for it to this day). She’s also the star of the Max Fun Podcast Bubble.
In this episode, we’ll learn about Glynn’s attitude towards producing quality stories, why puppets are a perfect way to combat social justice issues and Alison’s amazing moment where she made out with Jon Bon Jovi, one of her musical heroes.
What’s the difference between a “lake” and a “pond”?
What’s the difference between an “arrowsmith” and a “fletcher?”
Glynn Washington: The original Star Trek, the New King James Bible, Michael Jackson.
Alison Becker: Divorce ranches, Seinfeld episodes, Bon Jovi.
Appearing in this episode:
Glynn Washington
Alison Becker
With guest experts:
Jason E. Hill, Musician, puppeteer and former United Methodist Clergy.
Theresa Iker, teacher of history at Stanford University.
Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles.
Theme Song by Jonathan Green
David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer.
Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher
The show is edited by Julian Burrell.
divorce ranch
Jason Hill
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Frankenstein - Channel 4 documentary
Frankenstein stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller are to feature in a Channel 4 documentary that goes behind the scenes of the National Theatre production.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller will feature in a behind the scenes documentary on the production. The 60-minute show is called Frankenstein - The Making of a Myth and also includes an interview with the production’s director, Danny Boyle.
Follow the link:
http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/31795/frankenstein-documentary-comes-alive-for
Tags: benedict cumberbatch, national theatre
I suppose the programme will include the footage shown prior to the NT Live screening? At an hour long, happily there's also time for lots of previously unseen material. :-)
I hope the programme will be released on a DVD eventually as was 'Making War Horse', which is such an informative resource.
The programme will include the footage shown prior to the NT Live screening yes,
I am pretty sure it will be a DVD too yes - WAHAY - Party party party - Sherlockian cocktails all round!
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Edge AI Hardware Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2019 - 2024)
The Edge AI Hardware Market is segmented by Processors (CPU, GPU, FPGA, ASIC), Devices (Smartphones, Cameras, Robots, Wearables, Smart Speaker, Smart Mirror), End-user Industry (Government, Consumer Electronics, Real Estate, Automotive, Transportation, Healthcare, Manufacturing), and Geography.
Home Industry Reports Information & Communications Technology Edge AI Hardware Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2019 - 2024)
Comes with 3 months of post-purchase analyst support.
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Scope of the Report
Key Market Trends
Study Period:
Base Year:
Fastest Growing Market:
Largest Market:
CAGR:
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The edge AI hardware market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 20.3% over the forecast period 2019 - 2024. Rapid growth in the number of edge computing products and services, increasing real-time low latency on edge devices are some of the major influencing factors for the growth of edge AI hardware market. Especially, the need for edge computing in IoT and dedicated AI processors for on-device image analytics are the promising areas of market advancement in the edge AI devices.
The possibility of performing AI inference without having to transfer the data has generated huge demand for edge AI Hardware market. With the growing number of edge AI devices, businesses can reduce their operational costs in critical cases where latency and accuracy are much required.
Constant connectivity with enhanced performance has generated huge demand for edge AI devices among several industrial applications such as government, consumer electronics, real estate, automotive, transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, and others.
The market is anticipated to see a high rate of adoption in the coming years owing to increased privacy and security since the companies need not share private or sensitive data with public cloud service providers, especially in healthcare and consumer sectors. A survey conducted by Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) among 200 IT and IT security leaders identified that 73% of survey respondents listed privacy and security of data as their biggest concern.
The dearth of skilled AI professionals is anticipated to obstruct the market growth of edge AI hardware.
The market is expected to witness intense competition among the key players and several prominent startups, to capture a share of revenue in edge AI hardware market.
The scope for edge AI hardware market primarily includes processors, sensors, cameras that address the need for cognitive computing needs. These devices are used to power and process various AI-based devices. Various types of processors used in edge AI devices include semiconductor products such as central processing units (CPU), graphic processing unit (GPU), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
By Processors
By End-User Industry
Report scope can be customized per your requirements. Click here.
Surveillance Cameras Segment is Expected to Grow at Significant Rate
Governmental bodies across the world, are embracing advanced technologies to address the important aspect of ensuring the security and safety of citizens. Surveillance serves to be a key factor in the process. Some of the major devices for edge AI hardware used by government agencies for the purpose includes surveillance cameras and drones.
With the ever-increasing population, environmental damage, and criminal activities, cities are facing new challenges each day, and this has resulted in the need for surveillance cameras. These are very much required for the prevention of incidents such as crime, burglary, and vandalism. Besides, governments also use surveillance cameras for enforcement of the law by analyzing the behavior, face recognition.
China is at the forefront of installing AI-based surveillance cameras to scan public places to track anomalies in behavior and criminal identification. A recent journal published in the New York Times revealed that the Chinese government had installed around 200 million surveillance cameras across the country in 2018 and is planning to install another 426 million by 2020. The country aims to spot crimes and accidents easily by integrating private and public cameras, to build a nation-wide surveillance network.
To understand key trends, Download Sample Report
Asia-Pacific is the Largest and Fastest Growing Region
Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience the highest growth rate in the global edge AI hardware market. The growing penetration of smartphones in China, Japan, India, and South Korea is expected to increase the adoption of AI processor-enabled smartphones. Moreover, the region is also the most significant market for surveillance cameras owing to the tightened control over the Internet and digital communication by the governments in the respective countries.
China is the largest market in the region, followed by Japan. Presence of several significant vendors in the automobile, electronics, and semiconductor companies, who are investing significantly in the AI technology, is driving the growth of the edge AI hardware market in the region. During a one-month period between June and July 2018, Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology counted around 4,040 AI companies in China. Besides, the presence of a large number of manufacturing companies makes the region an attractive market for industrial robots that implements AI technology.
Wearable devices also play a significant role in the increasing demand for integration with vision processing units to accelerate AI tasks. Cisco Systems estimates that the number of connected wearable devices could reach 1,105 million units by 2022. End-user industries like manufacturing, telecommunications, and automotive have huge potential in the region.
To understand geography trends, Download Sample Report
The edge AI hardware market is currently dominated by few players with their technological expertise in AI technology and the global market is expected to be consolidated in nature. Intel Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, Qualcomm Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Google Inc., MediaTek Inc., Xilinx Inc., Imagination Technologies Limited, and Microsoft Corporation are some of the major players present in the current market. However, several prominent AI startups like Cambricon Technology, Horizon Robotics, Hailo Technologies, and Habana Labs are expected to compete with the key players, on the AI inferencing side.
March 2019 - NVIDIA published Jetson Nano, an edge computing production for machine learning (ML) inferencing. It enables the development of millions of new small, low-power AI systems in embedded IoT applications, including entry-level Network Video Recorders (NVRs), home robots.
May 2019 - Kneron, an AI startup focussed on edge AI solutions unveiled 3D artificial intelligence solution and edge AI chip KL520 with n idea to provide AI solutions for the smart home, smart surveillance, smartphones, robots, drones, and IoT devices.
September 2018 - Intel in collaboration with Alibaba Cloud launched a Joint Edge Computing Platform. Enterprises would be able to develop customizable device-to-cloud IoT solutions for different edge computing scenarios with the help of the platform, including industrial manufacturing, smart building, and smart community.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
* Complete list of players covered available in the table of contents below
1.2 Study Assumptions
4.2 Introduction to Market Drivers and Restraints
4.3.1 Rapid Growth in the Number of Edge Computing Products and Services
4.3.2 Increasing Penentration of AI in Edge Devices
4.3.3 Increasing Real-time Low Latency on Edge Devices
4.4.1 Security Concerns Related to Edge AI Devices
4.4.2 Dearth of Skilled AI Professionals
4.6 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis
4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers
5.1 By Processors
5.1.1 CPU
5.1.2 GPU
5.1.3 FPGA
5.1.4 ASICs
5.2 By Device
5.2.1 Smartphones
5.2.2 Cameras
5.2.3 Robots
5.2.4 Wearables
5.2.5 Smart Speaker
5.2.6 Smart Mirror
5.2.7 Other Devices
5.3 By End-User Industry
5.3.1 Government
5.3.2 Consumer Electronics
5.3.3 Real Estate
5.3.4 Automotive
5.3.5 Transportation
5.3.7 Manufacturing
5.4 Geography
6.1 Company Profiles
6.1.1 Intel Corporation
6.1.2 NVIDIA Corporation
6.1.3 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
6.1.4 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
6.1.5 Google Inc.
6.1.6 MediaTek Inc.
6.1.7 Microsoft Corporation
6.1.8 Xilinx Inc.
6.1.9 Imagination Technologies Limited
*List Not Exhaustive
7. INVESTMENT ANALYSIS
8. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS
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The Information Superhighway, Circa 1870
by Matthew Wills
421 8th Ave, NY, NY 10199
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Like 8 Google +1 0 Retweet 11
Right up until the time men started to stop wearing hats, the city was woven together by a network of pneumatic tubes that connected post offices and major buildings. A letter took seven minutes to go from Manhattan’s 32nd Street to downtown Brooklyn through this Pneumatic Tube System, or PTS. Making use of the city’s subterranean foundations, the tubes ran through basements, subway tunnels, sewers, and utility passages. Generators were stationed below ground every five blocks to maintain the pressure necessary to speed things through. Operators at the major switching sections routed canisters north and south and east and west, according to route tags slipped into sides of the “cans.”
Historians of the pneumatic tube in New York City generally concentrate their monographs on publisher and inventor Alfred Ely Beach’s efforts to present a pneumatic subway to the city, slighting his earlier innovation of the mail tube. Working in secret so as not to be threatened by the surface transport monopoly, Beach’s crew dug a two block long tunnel under Broadway by City Hall in 1870. He proved his point, but it would be thirty years before political will, commuter demand, money, and the usual chicanery combined in the IRT. However, his much smaller diameter mail tubes took off. The US Postal Service pioneered pneumatic tube connectivity, while private firms like Consolidated Pneumatics and Vacu-Send hooked up private vertical and horizontal systems around the city.
Almost completely lost to memory, the hundreds of miles of three-inch copper tubing that made up the PTS were cared for by the members of the old Pneumatic Tube Maintenance Workers Union (Local 131). Once more than a thousand members strong, the militant local disbanded in 1952. As far as I can tell, there’s only one “tube monkey” living today.
His name is Eddie Villacruz. While researching Local 131 records stored in the Wagner Archives at NYU, I found his name on a list of attendees at a 19677 reunion, and tracked him down as the sole survivor. Living quietly in Queens now, Villacruz was happy to tell me about his days in the union and “on the tubes.”
A remarkable ninety-three years old, he is frail but still vinegary. He walks with a limp from the day he lost his kneecap to cops in a brutal strike in October, 1934. Tube monkeys were famous for their ability to make the best of bad situations, often having to cobble together temporary patches and clear out frequent clogs in miserable circumstances. Villacruz was no exception – in the thick of a pitched street battle, he flattened a beer bottle cap and slapped it on his shattered kneecap with binding tape to hold his leg together. I wince just thinking about it, but he told the tale with such nonchalance you would think he was discussing putting a Band-Aid on a boo-boo.
He began his career as an apprentice at the age of sixteen, during a period that in retrospect can be seen as the swan song of the tubes. It was 1923. Not just the post offices were connected, but skyscrapers in Midtown and the Financial District, factories on the West Side and shipping companies up and down both rivers were tubed together. It was a labyrinth of pneumatic tubes, one that acted like the city’s circulation system, pumping information to and fro. But the heart was aging, slowing down as pipes that were already thirty- to forty-years old jammed and clogged more and more as a matter of course. In addition, the wide-spread use of telephones in corporate offices steadily reduced the amount of inter-office memos shunting up and down, leading to cancelled contracts with tube operators.
The Strike of ’34 was pivotal. Ostensibly about bettering working conditions, it was really a last chance stab at preserving jobs in the field. The union held, but barely, for there were just enough jobs to be had. In a few short years, things would change completely.
On July 15, 1939, two tons of pressurized U.S. Mail erupted out of the 31st Street sidewalk. One person was killed and dozens of passersby were wounded. It was the PTS’s biggest disaster, and one that would be its death knell. Villacruz remembers the infamous Farley Post Office Blow Out very well. “Talk about yer god-damned confetti,” he laughs, but with the bittersweet agony of experience crinkling his eyes. “Like a god-damned massive coronary!” he says, shaking his head and putting his hand over his chest.
The Second World War found local 131 members to be excellent mechanics and engineers. Villacruz was 34 in 1941, and, with his bad knee, even less appealing to the military, but his skills earned him a place on the team that protected what was left of the Postal Service’s system from enemy espionage efforts. He ended up working with the Service through to his retirement under the dome of the old Cunard Lines Building, home of the Bowling Green P.O.
These days, he takes it easy, and scoffs at the newfangled “information superhighway.” “Been there, done that,” he chuckles.
Tagged: Old New York, Technology
§ One Response to “The Information Superhighway, Circa 1870”
David Colron says:
Loved this piece and knew absolutely nothing about those tubes. Thanks.
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O Gauge RailKing Tank Car
Tank Car - Duluth Missabe & Iron Range
Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range
DF 2011 Volume 2
Delivered Dec. 2011
The tank car was relatively uncommon until the 1870s, when the nascent petroleum industry ordered large quantities of metal tanks carried on wooden car bodies. By the early 1900s, a standard design had evolved that lasted throughout the steam and early diesel eras: an 8,000-11,000 gallon metal tank perched on a metal flatcar-like underframe.
The one big change during that time was the transition from riveted to welded construction beginning in the late 1930s. Car builders introduced X-ray inspection of welds to ensure safety, as well as giant annealing ovens that could heat-treat assembled tanks to relieve joint stress. Welded tanks were stronger, less susceptible to rust and corrosion, and less likely to rupture in the event of a wreck.
Our model represents a typical all-welded, insulated tank car built in the late 1940s or 1950s. A layer of insulation protected cargos that were sensitive to temperature extremes, and some such cars also had heating coils under their outer layer. Our model also features a safety platform around the dome - insulation and safety platforms being features commonly found on cars used in the chemical industry.
Durable ABS Intricately Detailed Bodies
Chrome Plated Body Finish
Separate Metal Handrails
Unit Measures:10 3/8" x 2 3/8" 3 13/16"
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For their retelling of the classic A Star Is Born tale—fading celebrity meets ingénue, passes torch—writer/director Bradley Cooper and costar Lady Gaga had to do a little role reversal. Gaga makes her first turn as a leading lady (big-voiced, fresh-faced singer Ally), while Cooper both directs and sings (aging country-rocker Jackson Maine) for the first time. It turns out that Cooper is just as impressive a singer as Gaga is an actress, and the intense dynamic between the two leads is present from the start.
As Gaga told Beats 1 host Zane Lowe, the pair first huddled around the piano in her Malibu home to practice a Creedence Clearwater Revival song, and she was stunned when she first heard his singing voice. “Instantly we started to harmonize, and we were looking at each other and laughing, and it was just this magical experience.” Cooper claims the inspiration for his character came from Eddie Vedder; Gaga merely needed to look in the mirror, drawing on bittersweet memories of her pre-fame days as Stefani Germanotta, busking outside of bars on Manhattan's Lower East Side. “I was so bullied and so insecure and so depressed, and that is what I drew from,” she recalled.
That vulnerability is on display in the movie's central number, “Shallow,” a power ballad that comes closest to Gaga’s usual recorded fare. The rest of the soundtrack encompasses country-rockers (“Diggin’ My Grave”), Carole King-style piano bops (“Look What I Found”), and slow-dance duets (“Music to My Eyes”). This wide variety of Broadway-ready cues is the product of a dream team of songwriters, including Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, Jason Isbell, Lori McKenna, Julia Michaels, Lukas Nelson, and Mark Ronson.
But what grounds it all is Gaga's and Cooper's star power, and their natural flair for the dramatic. The day they filmed the movie's climactic piano torch song, "I'll Never Love Again," Gaga rushed from the soundstage to her friend Sonya’s bedside at the hospital; she passed away that day, after a long struggle with cancer. At the urging of Sonya's husband, Gaga drove right back to set and poured everything she was feeling into that performance. “I sang that song for Jackson,” she told Zane, “and for her.”
A Star Is Born Soundtrack Lady Gaga
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Dialogue)
Fabulous French (Dialogue)
I'll Wait for You (Dialogue)
Maybe It's Time
Parking Lot (Dialogue)
Trust Me (Dialogue)
First Stop, Arizona (Dialogue)
Music to My Eyes
Diggin' My Grave
I Love You (Dialogue)
Always Remember Us This Way
Unbelievable (Dialogue)
How Do You Hear It? (Dialogue)
Memphis (Dialogue)
I Don't Know What Love Is
Vows (Dialogue)
Is That Alright?
SNL (Dialogue)
Why Did You Do That?
Hair Body Face
Scene 98 (Dialogue)
Before I Cry
Too Far Gone
Twelve Notes (Dialogue)
I'll Never Love Again (Film Version)
I'll Never Love Again (Extended Version)
This Compilation ℗ 2018 Interscope Records
3.1K Ratings
garrettchace , 08/30/2018
Gaga coming to save the world this October with her heavenly voice 🙌🏻🙌🏻
funyogui , 08/30/2018
A REAL STAR Is Born Again！
Could you believe that Gaga maybe the first female singer have chance to chase the Oscar Best Actress in the 21st century？I live in RIGHT TIME！
ElijahRBen , 08/30/2018
This is a work of ART
More By Lady Gaga
The Fame Monster (Deluxe Version)
Born This Way (Bonus Track Version)
Joanne (Deluxe)
The Fame Monster
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/ Gary Numan
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Ghost Nation (Live at Brixton Academy) Gary Numan 2018
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The Fallen Gary Numan 2018
Preview Savage (Songs from a Broken World) (Expanded Edition)
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My Name Is Ruin (Live at Brixton Academy) Gary Numan 2018
Preview We Will Become Silhouettes
We Will Become Silhouettes The Postal Service 2005
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The Age Of Plastic (Remastered) The Buggles 1999
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Home ENTERTAINMENT I put in an effort to look presentable: Ranbir Kapoor
I put in an effort to look presentable: Ranbir Kapoor
Sourabha
Mumbai, Aug 29:
Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor, who looked dapper as a showstopper for designer Kunal Rawal at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2016 here, says he always puts in an effort to look presentable wherever he goes.
Asked about how much pressure does he, as a celebrity, feel to look good all the time, Ranbir told IANS: “Of course, you know there is lot of criticism, but thankfully I don’t really read any of that. So I can really wear whatever I want. I try to be presentable wherever I am going… That’s the effort I put in, just to look presentable.”
Ranbir, who was rumoured to be in a relationship with actress Katrina Kaif, split with the “Ek Tha Tiger” actress recently. Do such bad times affect him?
“I don’t know. No comments,” said the actor, who is gearing up for the release of Karan Johar’s “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” on October 28.
“Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” also stars Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Fawad Khan.
He will also be seen sharing screen space with Katrina in “Jagga Jasoos”, directed by Anurag Basu. (IANS)
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Vol 87 (2014): Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality /
The potential of a confined closed greenhouse in terms of sustainable production, crop growth, yield and valuable plant compounds of tomatoes
Dennis Dannehl Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Faculty of Life Science Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences Division Biosystems Engineering Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3 14195 Berlin
Melanie Josuttis Institute for Product Quality, Teltowkanalstrasse 2, 12247 Berlin, Germany
Christian Ulrichs Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Faculty of Life Science, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Division Urban Plant Ecophysiology, Lentzeallee 55, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Uwe Schmidt Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Faculty of Life Science Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences Division Biosystems Engineering Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3 14195 Berlin
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5073/JABFQ.2014.087.030
Keywords: confined closed greenhouse, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, vitamin C, photosynthesis, plant transpiration, microclimate
A confined closed greenhouse (CGH) was applied to save energy and to investigate how tomatoes respond to specific microclimatic conditions. As such, new dynamic set-points for precise climate control were used in the CGH compared to those applied in a conventional greenhouse. Based on the reduced ventilation frequency in the CGH, the results showed that higher levels of mean temperature, CO2 concentration and relative humidity were achieved. Although the light interception was increased in the CGH, these changing microclimatic conditions resulted in higher rates of photosynthesis and an associated faster crop growth. This means that the mean plant height was increased by 1.5 m, which was the decisive factor to increase the total yield by 21.4% in relation to that produced in the conventional greenhouse. The new microclimatic environment caused by the CGH promoted the accumulation of primary and secondary plant compounds in tomatoes such as soluble solids (by 9%), lycopene (by 22%), ß-carotene (by 21%), phenolics (by 8%) and L-ascorbic acid (by 26%) compared to conventional produced tomatoes. Compared to existing greenhouse systems, the results suggested that a CGH can be used to produce tomatoes in a sustainable way, where the water use and the energy use efficiency can be improved by 71% and 43%, respectively.
Vol 87 (2014): Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality
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Prof. Dr. Hartwig Schulz
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Leibniz University Hannover
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Sektion Angewandte Botanik der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft e.V.
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Technische Universität Braunschweig
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This journal is published with technical and editorial support from the Julius Kühn-Institut.
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Transit Types and Modal Share: More Numbers
I've put together three additional charts, correlating per capita highways, heavy rail and light rail with commuting transit share for an expanded list of thirty American cities, in the hope that these statistics might add to and shed light on the results from the previous post. Although the first two charts are probably in line with most expectations, the third, for light rail, may come as somewhat of a surprise.
First, here are highway lane miles per capita plotted against commuting transit modal share, using highway and population data from the Federal Highway Administration (h/t Walkable DFW):
As might be expected, there is a correlation between decreasing freeway lane miles and increasing transit modal share, but it is not strong. Eliminate the three outliers of Kansas City, St. Louis and New York, and even that modest correlation is cut in half.
By contrast, the correlation between transit share and kilometers of heavy rail is much more robust. For this chart, only urban heavy rail systems, such as subways, were included. Regional commuter rail, such as New York's Long Island Railroad or San Diego's Coaster line, is excluded to keep the comparison consistent:
Eliminating the cities with no heavy rail from the sample reduces the correlation to an R2 value of .17.
Last, and perhaps most surprising, are the light rail numbers. Regardless of whether cities with no light rail are included, there is a statistically insignificant (but consistently negative) correlation between light rail kilometers per capita and transit share. The United States seems to be flush with cities with substantial light rail networks and low transit modal share. The exceptions are the cities which also have heavy rail networks (SF, Philadelphia and Boston). Three other heavy hitters have no light rail, although all had systems in the past (NYC, DC and Chicago):
Two cities with no or essentially no light rail at all, Milwaukee and Detroit, surpass numerous other cities with extensive networks. Portland's extensive system, more than five times larger than Seattle's on a per capita basis, has only earned it 60 percent of that city's modal share (arguably, Seattle should be given an even lower value on this chart, as the King County branch of its light rail system opened more than halfway through 2009, the year measured by the ACS in computing modal share data).
Are there any further points to glean here? Certainly no correlation shown here approaches the correlation of urban population density to modal share that I provided in the previous post, which remains by far the strongest correlate of transit use. The role of bus networks is obviously huge, but I wasn't able to find a single metric useful in making cross comparisons that was available for all bus operators (routes per capita is a possibility, but there is no way of knowing the length of these routes in most cases. I might add it in later anyways, if I can locate the data for it). Commuter rail would introduce more complexities.
Chart data are below. Numbers in the last three columns show miles and kilometers per capita (per 1,000 or 100,000). Note that modal share data are for cities, rather than the greater urban areas from which population figures used to compute per capita highway and rail figures are drawn, but are more closely tied to the types of urban transit systems I have included. You are welcome to reuse this information, but no guarantee of accuracy is offered. Contact me if you'd like the excel file.
DOT: Highway Statistics 2007
2009 ACS via The Transport Politic
Wikipedia (for light and heavy rail statistics)
Chris Bradford: The association between density and mode of commute. Chris finds that standard density is weakly predictive of transit modal share, but weighted, or perceived, density is strongly correlated with it.
Laurence Aurbach: Fun with Density and Transit Statistics.
Posted by Charlie Gardner at 7:37 PM
M1EK May 28, 2012 at 8:01 PM
Too many confounding variables here. Old cities like Detroit have pre-car-dependency residential and office development which provide built-in reasons to take the bus that nobody in Portland or Dallas really has, for instance.
I think there might be some data to mine here based on development of the city core in, say, 1950 versus bus transit share - but I can't think of a way to get at that off the top of my head.
Charlie Gardner May 28, 2012 at 8:55 PM
I agree, and I think that the charts in the earlier post help to get at those variables (of residential and job concentration). That residential density and job concentration correlate so strongly with transit use suggests that these "built-in" reasons are very significant.
That said, Detroit is very much a city of the auto age. 75% of its population growth, to the 1950 maximum, occurred post-1910. For contrast, only 40% of NYC's growth was after 1900, and 25% of Philadelphia's. It is denser than Portland, but only very slightly.
M1EK June 4, 2012 at 12:41 PM
1910 - 1950 was the "unsubsidized auto age" where a typical family eventually got a car but didn't use it for most commutes. 1950-2000 is the real problem, and why Sunbelt cities are so much harder to serve than Detroit.
BruceMcF May 28, 2012 at 8:36 PM
There is also a selection bias here, with some places having light rail because they couldn't swing a heavy rail system, and in the ability to gain local support for a heavy rail system, high public transport mode share would be a substantial help.
One wonders what the correlation would be for total passenger miles by rail of either type.
That's a good point, and a great idea for another chart -- I will try to put it together. It is possible that the viability of heavy rail (politically, financially, etc) is largely dependent on density, so that the heavy rail figures are simply an echo of the density correlation. Atlanta was the sole city in the sample with very low population density to have built a heavy rail system (Cleveland built its system in the 50s, when population density was much higher than today).
The distinction light and heavy in formal lexicons is regarding capacity, so there'd have to be a multiplier. Offhand, I'd multiply one light rail mile as 0.5 of a heavy rail mile, not based on any deep information on average capacity relationships nationwide, but because if the factor is too small a fraction, the light rail impact disappears in the noise.
And 0.5 is the maximum entropy estimate for "smaller than one, bigger than 0".
Bill Reeves September 9, 2013 at 4:07 PM
I can't speak for other cities but St. Louis' 'light' rail system is indistinguishable from a heavy rail system, all running on dedicated tracks, with some of it underground.
The real difference between light and heavy rail is that heavy rail is in dense cities where rail makes some economic sense while light rail is in dispersed cities like St. Louis or Dallas where the economics are utterly insane.
I did a back of the envelope calculation for the total costs per passenger mile of the St. Louis/BiState Transit system (including buses and rail) and including depreciation on the fixed assets the real cost per mile equals the TCO for an Economy car: car, taxes, gas, insurance, etc.
I have no reason to believe that St. Louis is a particularly bad system. In my opinion "Light" rail in most cities is simply the Lunatic phase of transit insanity.
PS: I like and use the St. Louis system - its clean and efficient. Just economically insane.
Matthew May 28, 2012 at 9:14 PM
I'm confused. How does San Francisco have a heavy rail ratio of 5.28? The MUNI metro consists of light rail and buses. BART and Caltrain could be considered "heavy rail" but both are commuter systems. Or are you counting the portion of BART that runs within the city? Even so, that's only 12km.
Also, what's the split for Boston? Green Line vs the others?
"Heavy" vs "light" rail is kind of a weird distinction to make, since most of these systems were designed and built long before that terminology came into use in the 70s.
BART is quite definitely urban heavy rail. These must be either Metro areas or Urbanized areas, as you'll note that the entry in the table is San Francisco - Oakland.
Charlie Gardner May 28, 2012 at 10:04 PM
I counted the entire BART system (167 km), even the portions outside SF proper, since the context was the greater urban area, not just the city itself. The same was done for DC's metro system. "Pruning" the system to match political boundaries seems artificial, and I was aiming at a general figure showing the amount of high-capacity rapid transit rail line laid down relative to overall population.
Caltrain is a close call, but I omitted it since it's more regional in scope (going beyond the population area covered), and really is a dedicated commuter line, rather than a mixed-purpose line like BART. MARC is not included for DC, for similar reasons. I'll admit the distinction is unscientific, but I had to draw the line somewhere. Long-winded answer, but the basic idea is "urban heavy rail with rapid transit function that mostly serves the metro area rather than outlying suburban communities," and to apply that as consistently as possible. In that sense, BART, the DC Metro, Boston's T and the NY subway are are all recognizably related.
For Boston, the Red, Orange and Blue lines are counted as "heavy rail," while the Green line is under "light rail." That's not my distinction, though -- it's from the American Public Transit Association, which also uses the heavy rail/light rail distinction, via Wikipedia.
And in response to Bruce, as you can see from the FHA data, urbanized areas were used. This is not necessarily a perfect match with the transit systems covered, but it's reasonably close.
Matthew May 28, 2012 at 10:49 PM
Well, I do think of BART being more of a regional commuter line, but it's not a big deal either way. Counting BART leads to SF/Oak being an outlier on that chart, and omitting it would probably strengthen the correlation slightly.
Yeah, the SF number may be a bit high, but at the same time the NY number is a bit low, since the population figure includes a large portion of northern NJ, which isn't served by the NY subway (I did include PATH, but omitted the Hudson-Bergen LR since it does not enter the city at all -- not that it would have made a difference). The urbanized area population figure for NYC seems to be more generous, geographically and proportion-wise, relative to some other cities. Adjusting both of these would probably leave the correlation in a similar place, but then, starting to tinker with the urbanized area figures or with the length of individual systems really opens a can of worms.
I do prefer urbanized area for these things.
If the figures were trips or passenger miles, then the difference for BART would not be a big deal, as most of BART patronage is within the SF-Oakland Urbanized Area, but track miles would be inflated, with the BART to Livermore and the BART that will be running to San Jose.
Caltrain is primarily regional intercity between the SF-Oakland urbanized area and the San Jose urbanized area, so if regional rail systems are excluded, leaving out Caltrain makes sense.
Alon June 11, 2012 at 3:30 PM
One data point: at a trivia night in New York, I asked people to name the only commuter rail network in the US that's all-electrified, and most teams answered BART. Its outer ends definitely look very commuter rail-like.
However, one key distinction is frequency. Every BART branch gets at least 15/20 service, better than any commuter rail branch in the US. A few branches get 30/60 service and even fewer get 30/30. (Here the first number is midday frequency, not peak frequency, and the second is evening or weekend frequency, whichever is worse.)
Great stuff. It will take me a while to digest these posts, but I also wonder about downtown parking density as another variable. I find transit use to be a multiplicity of incentives.
Downtown parking is a huge variable, for sure. It is frustratingly difficult to calculate, though. Even Norman Garrick and Chris McCahill, in their study of Northeastern cities, were only able to add up surface and above-ground parking -- below-ground garages are very difficult to measure without on-site inspection, and citywide statistics aren't usually available. It would be doable, but a lot of work, to calculate surface parking ratios and use that as a baseline for comparison.
Eric June 5, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Edmonton and Calgary have no freeways to downtown, and extremely high transit share. That's not the same as having limited parking, but the effect is similar.
John Hutt June 12, 2012 at 2:26 AM
I also would love to see what the correlation is with parking. However, calculating existing parking would likely be extremely difficult.
It might not be that hard to run a regression of transit use vs present required minimum parking standards (perhaps an average of residential and commercial). I would hazard a guess that these policy standards say a lot about how fully a city embraces transit.
Control for poverty first, and for weighted density second. Then see what the scatterplots look like.
--Nathanael
Would be really nice to see that someday in the future, all of those back garages could function as storefronts.
Wrong blog post =_=
Density and Transit: Some Numbers
Bikes, Transit and Traditional Urbanism
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Digital Noise: Episode 99: Too Many Week Picks
June 25, 2015 April 20, 2018
Podcast (weekly-video-review-podcast): Play in new window | Download
Richard is back for this penultimate to 100 episode of Digital Noise and he and Chris just can’t quite make up their mind which of the tremendous titles they have to review this week would make it to the top of the list. Would it be Spirited Away? Or The Strain? Perhaps The Wrecking Crew? Or The Lazarus Effect…ok, just kidding about that last one.
Regardless, we’ve got a big stack of ‘don’t miss’ titles to talk about this week, viewer mail to answer, and one hell of a great giveaway. CHECK IT OUT!
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Tags:Beyond the ReachChappieDer SamuraiDigital NoiseJustifiedParks & RecreationRun All NightSpirited AwayThe Cat ReturnsThe Lazarus EffectThe NewsroomThe StrainThe Wrecking CrewTough Being Loved By JerksWelcome to MeWild Tales
7 thoughts on “Digital Noise: Episode 99: Too Many Week Picks”
Joedcomp June 25, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Oh Fuck, Death Watch, I read that book back in Middle School, and I hated it so much. Even more so the ending.
You're Not My Supervisor June 25, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Porco Rosso is on Blu Ray. I’m surprised you guys weren’t sent it or princess mononoke.
ruben June 25, 2015 at 9:11 pm
Forgive me for putting my hat into the arena but OMG I am NOT a Neil Blomkamp fan. So far he has thrown out disappointment after disappointment of films that have pretty special effects but lack structure in storytelling. To me he is william gibson if he got lazy with his writing. I still think District 9 is overrated, I thought elysium was district 9; only they use real Mexicans instead of aliens with the same ‘beat you over the head’ messages and chappie is pretty much to me Robo-JarJar Binks. I hate to be that guy but I have to speak for those who do genuinely feel that he’s a fanboy filmmaker that got lucky. I apologize for what I have to say about him but I gave this guy three out of three and just not impressed with his three films. If anything I think he’d be better off adapting other peoples stories, like a novel and using his special effects team to do the rest. But for original material? No.
Bat42 June 26, 2015 at 12:57 am
The closest I’ve seen to a good NY Punk film is End of the Century, a documentary about The Ramones. https://vimeo.com/84132006
BTW, the writer/director of CBGB, Randall Miller, is in prison for involuntary manslaughter.
Maciek June 26, 2015 at 5:52 am
Actually there are four Asterix movies (each done by different director/producer and has a bit different take on it… it’s a bit like difference between Burton/Sumacher/Nolan Batmans, but they all has mr. Gérard Depardieu as Obelix).
I can only speak for Polish dubb version’s but…
The first one is interesting as a first attempt of European big comic book movie and has few amusing sequences (plus the cast is great!!! Especially Roberto Benigni as the villain) but as a whole the script is all over the place and the humor for most part isn’t very strong (mainly jokes that will entertain kids, not much for adults). One thing that rubs me the wrong way is that they taken an love-subplot from the book, which in the comics was played for comedy and in the film they tried to played it seriously/sad – it just doesn’t work! It’s not a good movie but I have a lot of nostalgia for it and it’s hard to me to come down to harsh on it and still enjoy watching some parts.
The second one (MISSION CLEOPATRA) however is a VERY GOOD and fun movie!!!!!! It’s set in ancient Egypt and visually it looks fantastic, the comedy is great (with few pop-culture jokes that may be old now but where clever at the time) and it’s sticks very close to the actually comic. And you don’t have to see first one to get it. BIG RECOMMENDATION!
The third one… sucks. At the time it came out it was like Europe most expensive movie and sadly all this money went to special and visual effects while the script is just bad. They actually ignored pretty fun story from the book to replace it with a very generic plot, almost all the jokes are “meh” and the movie just drags. Also there is WAY to much focus on the villain (played by Benoit Poelvoorde) who annoying.
The forth one is a mix bag. For most part it’s genuinely funny and in spirit of the books but once a while there will be a joke that not only is painfully bad it’s just out-of place for the series. Of all the things they got right, character of Asterix is… well, off character in this one. As an Asterix adaptation, I think it’s Ok, I just have some issues with it as a fan.
I also like to take opportunity to give big RECOMMENDATION for the latest animated Asterix movie ” Asterix: The Mansion of the Gods” (which was Europe most expensive CGI production) Not only it looks great but the script is down right hilarious, perfectly mixing slapstick which much more adult satire. If you have chance – SEE IT! Probably biggest recommendation of all the movies above!
And just look on the animation :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqwj2TVe1fo
MACIEJ THE ASTERIX OBSSESIVE FANBOY OUT!
dark knight fan June 26, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Hey Chris, Fast and Furious 3 is just a dumb fun action movie.
Neil Kelly June 28, 2015 at 2:20 pm
My apologies guys for that horrible tenth question. I don’t know if I was drunk at the time or whatever but yeah, that one was awwwwk-waaard.
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Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser
Director: Christian Blackwood, Charlotte Mitchell Zwerin Cast: Charles Rouse, Harry Colomby Christian Blackwood, Charlotte Mitchell Zwerin,
DVD (Subtitled / Full Frame)
$17.99 View All Available Formats & Editions
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser available in DVD
This documentary of the late jazz great Thelonius Monk) (1917-1982) uses footage taken from 14 hours of European concert performances filmed in 1967-68 by Christian Blackwood. From his childhood in New York City's San Juan Hill, Monk grew up to become one of the most innovative jazz pianists of all time. Monk ushered in the bebop era of the 1940s and influenced such contemporary greats as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Interviews with Monk's manager Harry Colomby and Monk's son and namesake shed light on the character of the jazz giant. Executive producer Clint Eastwood got the idea for the project while researching the life of Charlie Parker for his film Bird.
Scene Index
[Full Frame]
Charles Rouse Participant
Harry Colomby Participant
Barry Harris Participant
Tommy Flanagan Participant
Thelonious Monk Actor
Jimmy Cleveland Actor
Ray Copeland Actor
Nica de Koenigswarter Participant
John Griffin Participant
Bob Jones Participant
Phil Woods Actor
Samuel E. Wright Narrator
Technical Credits
Christian Blackwood Director,Cinematographer
Charlotte Mitchell Zwerin Director,Producer
Joan Churchill Cinematographer
Clint Eastwood Executive Producer
Dick Hyman Score Composer
Bruce Ricker Producer
Disc #1 -- Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser
1. Evidence [2:35]
2. Beginnings..and Bebop (Rhythm-a-ning, On the Bean) [3:30]
3. 'Round Midnight [2:31]
4. Well, You Needn't [2:42]
5. A Professional (Bright Mississippi, Blue Monk) [2:54]
6. A Bust and a Breakthrough (Trinkle Tinkle, Rhythm-a-ning) [3:53]
7. Recording Session [2:42]
8. Ugly Beauty [4:47]
9. Ask Me Now; Time Cover [3:32]
10. Thelonious Monk Jr. (Rhythm-a-ning) [3:13]
11. Just a Gigolo [3:56]
12. Nellie (Crepuscle with Nellie) [2:26]
13. I Should Care [2:42]
14. London (We See) [2:49]
15. Oska T. Rehearsal [2:46]
16. Evidence [3:33]
17. Epistrophy [3:13]
18. Don't Blame Me [4:45]
19. Ruby, My Dear [1:44]
20. Hard Work [1:06]
21. I Mean You [3:08]
22. Home Again (Lulu's Back in Town) [1:20]
23. Gift From A Baroness [1:47]
24. Off Minor [1:24]
25. Nica's Recollections [2:48]
26. Catville (Pannonica) [2:55]
27. Boo Boo's Birthday [3:02]
28. Misterioso [2:56]
29. Overwhelmed (Monk's Mood) [3:24]
30. Sweetheart of All My Dreams [1:46]
31. End Credits ('Round Midnight) [3:17]
Scene Selections
Soundtracks: English
Subtitles: Off
Expanding on footage of Monk's 1967 tour shot by Christian Blackwood, Charlotte Zwering (Gimme Shelter) has created the definitive filmic portrait of the master bop pianist-composer. This captivating DVD digs deeper into the life of the famously eccentric pianist-composer than the Ken Burns's tepid coffeetable documentary Jazz ever thought to. A few shades different than the Burns film's monosyllabic, near-silent weirdo, Straight, No Chaser fleshes out Monk's character considerably -- from his harmonic theories to his use of quarter-tones (produced by hitting two adjacent piano keys simultaneously and occasionally even striking the boards with his entire forearm or his foot) to his mysterious relationship with his patron, baronness Nica de Koenigswarter. "Pannonica," a lyrical paean to her, is included on the soundtrack. Monk's music, naturally, is at the center of this canny portrait, giving fans cause to rejoice since most of the movie's performances had been previously unavailable in any form. The more interesting excavations include footage of his near-forgotten 1967 octet and rare recordings of club performances and rehearsal takes of Monk standards like "Well, You Needn't," "Trinkle Tinkle," "Evidence," and the title song. More curious is the inclusion of "Lulu's Back in Town," a corny Harry Warren-Al Dubin ditty, which Monk plays solo in a mellow homage to his stride predecessors. Straight, No Chaser is essential viewing for both jazz experts and novices, a smart, unflinching glance at one of 20th-Century music's greatest minds.
Barnes & Noble - Eddy Crouse
Thelonius Monk: Straight, No Chaser is an absolute treasure trove for jazz aficionados in general and Thelonius Monk devotees in particular. Most viewers who do not fall into either camp should still find a lot to enjoy in Chaser, but be warned: some people never were able to "get into" Monk's music, and those people may find Chaser less rewarding. That's largely because the bulk of Chaser is made up of wonderful, rare archival footage from concerts that the jazz legend gave in 1968. It's a little disappointing that there's not more depth to the interviews, which could have led to a better understanding of Monk the person. But the fact of the matter is that Monk was a mystery; he suffered from some form of unspecified mental illness that made relating to other people, or revealing much of himself to others, very difficult. With that in mind, Chaser succeeds quite well, for it presents enough information about the man to leave audiences as puzzled as many of his long time acquaintances were by him. As mentioned earlier, however, the real gold of Chaser is in the performance segments, which reveal Monk as a true genius of both composition and interpretation -- and a man with a style of playing the piano that was truly his own.
All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser 5 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. 4 reviews.
like, where did this cat come from? you don't need to like jazz to dig this guy. monk was a true master that transended styles and trends...
Watching this film, you come no more close to ''understanding'' where the music in Thelonious Monk comes from than you do about where he gets his fashion tips. But the music IS extraordinary, despite his eccentricities which, apparently, were involuntary.
Watching this movie you understand where his beautifully off-kilter harmonies come from: the man was twisted. He turned in circles to a beat only he could hear and interpret. Soaring and a little sad, this is a great documentary about one of the greatest composers of the 20th century
american experience woodrow wilson
band of brothers the pacific
ken burns america huey long
straight no chaser thelonious monk
Always at The Carlyle
Since opening in 1930, The Carlyle hotel in New York City has hosted the most ...
Since opening in 1930, The Carlyle hotel in New York City has hosted the most exclusive clients. This Upper East Side landmark attracts big-name celebrities with even bigger stories to tell. Featuring George Clooney, Sofia Coppola, Elaine Stritch, Naomi Campbell, ...
American Experience: America and the Holocaust
This edition of The American Experience chronicles a dark chapter of American history, the refusal ...
This edition of The American Experience chronicles a dark chapter of American history, the refusal of this nation to come to the aid of German Jews in the months and years before and during World War II. Hal Linden narrates ...
Band of Brothers / The Pacific
Academy Award winners Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg teamed up with two all-star casts to ...
Academy Award winners Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg teamed up with two all-star casts to create each of the sprawling, epic-length World War II miniseries featured in this double-header. First on the bill is 2001's Band of Brothers. Adapted from ...
Edward Herrmann narrates this portrait of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, as directed by renowned documentary ...
Edward Herrmann narrates this portrait of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, as directed by renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns (Lewis & Clark.) The film is an assemblage of photos, film clips, TV appearances (including a 1957 The Mike Wallace Interview), home ...
Gladiator Days: Anatomy of a Prison Murder
Part of the America Undercover series, this gritty documentary special from HBO examines the culture ...
Part of the America Undercover series, this gritty documentary special from HBO examines the culture of violence in prisons, focusing on the brutal murder of inmate Lonnie Blackmon. At a Utah State Prison, white supremacist convict Troy Kell was captured ...
Filmmaker Werner Herzog adds another real-life character to his growing pantheon of people who walk ...
Filmmaker Werner Herzog adds another real-life character to his growing pantheon of people who walk a fine line between visionary genius and madness in this documentary. Timothy Treadwell was a self-styled authority on bears who, starting in 1990, would spend ...
Long-time media producer Amy Scott's feature documentary debut examines the life and artistic legacy of ...
Long-time media producer Amy Scott's feature documentary debut examines the life and artistic legacy of overlooked award-winning film director Hal Ashby. Ashby helmed a string of '70s Oscar-winning classic films, but would eventually be outshone by his contemporaries (Coppola, Scorsese, ...
In Search of Beethoven
Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply) narrates this straightforward documentary account of the life of composer ...
Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply) narrates this straightforward documentary account of the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, covering all the major highlights from his birth in 1770 through his death in 1827. Writer-director Phil Grabsky skirts around the option ...
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Current Events (NonCannabis)
Smoker's Lounge
Scissor-Hanz 2018-09-14 22:28:05 UTC #579
Homeboy from the Weather Network doing his fake-news tryouts for CNN. Braces for the wind, but is clearly facing away from the wind. Two bros walking by in the background on their phones, unaffected.
Muleskinner 2018-09-15 03:16:44 UTC #580
busted! he looks like he's standing on the bridge of the Enterprise
Northern_Loki 2018-09-15 16:09:28 UTC #581
Boy, 6, banned from school because his mohawk could...
The punk hairstyle is only 1.5 inch tall.
cannabissequoia 2018-09-15 16:46:45 UTC #582
i f'n died my hair mid-class in the bathroom when I was his age...with food coloring nabbed from who knows where.
i also predict that school might see some administrative changes.
i'd raise them like the Trojans
Missing Wikileaker's kayak found adrift. Nothing to see here. Not suspicious at all.
Speculation over fate of missing Dutchman linked to...
Arjen Kamphuis’ effects found in the sea but his phones were turned on 1,000 miles away
ganjajuana 2018-09-15 17:37:28 UTC #584
I saw that this morning. If you notice, dude is leaning WITH the wind and not INTO the wind.
www.nytimes.com
Lagoons of Pig Waste Are Overflowing After Florence...
At least 110 lagoons in North Carolina have either released pig waste into the environment or are at imminent risk of doing so, according to state officials.
Calyxander 2018-09-21 13:39:19 UTC #586
This story made me choke on my coffee.
www.rawstory.com
New creationist theme park claims dinosaurs were ac...
A new creationist theme park in Lenox, Alabama is run by a Baptist preacher who believes that dinosaurs only grew so large because they were lizards who lived for 900 years and never stopped growing. In an interview with AL.com, creationist Kent Hovin...
500 Women and Teenagers to Be Bailed Out From Riker...
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights will spend up to $5 million as part of an effort to highlight the racial and economic disparities of the bail system.
really shows the corruption of the US gulag system - so brazen...they're just using it to steal from us taxpayers
More than 75 percent of people at Rikers are released without being sentenced to prison, according to the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform. The cost of housing an inmate for a year at Rikers is $271,000, the commission found.
99PerCent 2018-09-25 23:15:59 UTC #588
Could it be that Smell-O-Vision is on its way?
quantamagazine.org
New AI Strategy Mimics How Brains Learn to Smell | ...
Machine learning techniques are commonly based on how the visual system processes information. To beat their limitations, scientists are drawing inspiration from the sense of smell.
wow, fascinating story - true heroes!!! makes me wonder....who's fighting the Nazis today? and who are the collaborators....
Freddie Oversteegen, Gritty Dutch Resistance Fighte...
She was only 14 when she joined her sister and a law student as an all-female underground trio of saboteurs and assassins in German-occupied Holland.
Worcestershire_Farms 2018-09-26 13:39:32 UTC #590
Those Haarlem girls don’t play. Lmfao.
Prohibition......
www.bostonglobe.com
A prostitute was killed in France. Her peers are bl...
The group of transgender prostitutes working in the Bois de Boulogne, a wooded park in western Paris, had a rallying cry for when they needed help. “¡Todas!” they would shout.
Elon trolling the SEC
Elon Musk (elonmusk)
Just want to that the Shortseller Enrichment Commission is doing incredible work. And the name change is so on point!
1:16 PM - 4 Oct 2018
look at this hit piece in the NY Times from this week - total propaganda, there is no evidence of anything.....some anonymous people talking about Tesla moving cars around & storing inventory....there is a witch hunt on for this guy and his car that does not consume oil
vehicles are "being detected"...."all over the country"....
Unraveling a Tesla Mystery: Lots (and Lots) of Park...
Groups of new vehicles are being detected in unexplained locations across the country. Evidence being posted online has raised questions about production, logistics, quality and even demand.
I noticed this story earlier this year and assume the victims had ripped off a grow. It turns out to be way more pathetic: 2 kids robbed 3 zips with a pellet gun & paid the ultimate price. [smh]
www.sacbee.com
‘Three ounces of revenge’: Trial begins in slayings...
Stolen marijuana led to the brutal 2016 slayings of missing Woodland teenagers Elijah Moore and Enrique Rios, prosecutors said as trial began Thursday in Yolo Superior Court. David Froste faces murder and kidnapping charges in the killings. The boys’ ...
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article219576755.html
...seizure of more than 61,050 marijuana plants, 200 kilos of processed marijuana valued at up to $100 million and about $100,000 in cash, as well as 15 firearms, officials said.
Zhu has been charged with 10 counts of international money laundering and manufacturing marijuana, along with related conspiracy charges. He is facing a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a fine of $5 million for the marijuana counts along as many as 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for the money laundering charges.
not sure why the link preview doesn't show...
cannabissequoia:
200 kilos of processed marijuana valued at up to $100 million
$100,000,000 / 440 lb. = $227272.73 per lb. ?!!?! wtf.
I've seen what these Chinese gangsters are growing....It's definitely not worth half million a kilo. Closer to $500. These are the guys who fill rental properties with mold and spray avid on buds. Good riddance.
theatlantic.com
What an Audacious Hoax Reveals About Academia
Three scholars wrote 20 fake papers using fashionable jargon to argue for ridiculous conclusions.
They look like a stock image of a Christian rock band
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Tag: global beats
Direct From Iquitos Peru to Pittsburgh
on October 7, 2017 October 8, 2017 By pandemicpgh
For the sake of clarity..
THIS SHOW WILL COST MORE THAN $7000 to put together. Why?
The band is flying from Peru to Pittsburgh.
We have hotels, food, equipment rentals, sound, venue, and more to pay for.
You can pay $15 to enter. But I’m asking that if you can donate more please do. We don’t want to make a profit on this show. We don’t want to lose money either.
Any proceeds will go to Puerto Rican relief funds. Please contribute more than $15 if you can.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/los-wemblers-de-iquitos-in-pittsburgh-music-community#/
MORE INFO BELOW
THIS IS GOING TO BE A HISTORIC EVENT!!!
Los Wemblers —- Cumbia amazonicá pioneers from Peru for the first US show of their first-ever world tour.
Formed in 1968 in Iquitos, Peru, Los Wembler’s pioneered a unique style of music that combined cumbia rhythms, electric guitars, and psychedelic sounds. Their 1971 LP, Al Ritmo de Los Wembler’s, pushed the regional sound of chicha (cumbia rhythms combined with Andean folk melodies) to new levels. This new sound took the name cumbia amazonicá, after the first track on Al Ritmos, and it shaped andean popular music for decades. Even at their height of popularity, Los Wembler’s performed only in their hometown of Iquitos and neighboring areas, with rare performances in neighboring Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. By the early 1980s, Los Wembler’s faded into the background as the popularity cumbia amazonicá gave way to newer electronic cumbia sounds. Los Wemblers never stopped playing, but stayed in Iquitos playing the occasional party, wedding, or community events. In the early 2000s, cumbia amazonicá was rediscovered as a missing link between traditional cumbia and a new generation of musicians in Argentina, Mexico and Colombia. In 2007, Barbès Records released Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias from Peru and Los Wembler’s were rediscovered. In 2011, they performed in Lima for the first time in twenty-five years. A new generation of tropical electronic musicians looked to them for inspiration and the Peruvian group Dengue Dengue Dengue collaborated with them. In 2015, the Smithsonian invited Los Wembler’s to perform at the Folklife Festival in Washington DC.
Los Wembler’s haven’t lost any of their creative edge. Watching them perform or record is to witness musicians at the height of their powers. Their happy first experiments with cumbia and indigenous rhythms were not the product of chance. These are accomplished musicians in tune with their environment but also infinitely curious about the world. They may have a fondness for 1970’s production values, but after all, so do Jack White and Daptone. The style Los Wembler’s created more than forty years ago has finally found an audience around the world, and Los Wembler’s intend to keep it relevant by finding new ways to experiment.
Catch them in Pittsburgh for the first show on their first world tour.
TIME: Doors at 7pm show at 8pm
PLACE: Salems Event Center
What Cheer? The People’s Champs! and Femi Kuti
on July 6, 2016 July 6, 2016 By pandemicpgh
Femi Kuti (born June 16, 1962) is the stage name of Nigerian Afrobeat and jazz musician Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti. Born the eldest son of Afrobeat figurehead Fela Kuti, the musician has collaborated with the likes of Common and Mos Def and hails from Lagos, Nigeria.
REX THEATER JULY 28
NEW SHIRTS ARE IN! CLICK THE SHIRT TO PURCHASE at our store on Commonwealth Press website.
THE RETURN OF PITTONKATONK HEADLINERS and one of the baddest bands around WHAT CHEER BRIGADE!!!
plus TranSaharan Ensemble from North Africa
10 bucks FRIDAY AUGUST 5 @ BRILLOBOX
Here is a great documentary on contemporary gypsy music posted by the BBC. Its definitely worth looking into.
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/171489939″>This World: The New Gypsy Kings @ BBC</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/tzacanel”>TZACANEL</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
February is Poppin Off!
on January 14, 2016 January 14, 2016 By pandemicpgh
Pandemic is only happening 1 time in Jan but in February we are launching some big things. Pandemic is back on Feb 5, Feb 12 we are djing @ Carnegie Museums Feast w/ Raya Brass Band & UPrep High School Band, Feb 13 Cultural Gumbo for Pittonkatonk‘s fiscal sponsor New Sun Rising and we are bringing back Fanfare Ciocarlia. All the images are links. click them!
prepare yourself
The Cultural Gumbo celebrates 10 years of NSR helping the people and communities who make Pittsburgh great!
Music, Food, Art, & More
Raya Brass Band (NYC)
UPrep High School Band
May Day Marching Band
Col. Eagleburgers Goodtime Highstepping Marching Band
DTC Organ Trio
+ DJ Sets by Pandemic Pete
City of Play
Barrels to Beethoven
Stacyee Pearl Dance Performance
Pittonkatonk
$20 suggested Donation
$60 VIP Tix
Tickets on sale soon!
Pandemic Presents:::
Black Bear Combo 6-8 piece brass band hailing from the depths of the windy city. They appeared at the 2014 Pittonkatonk Brass Fest and are returning for a night of Drinking Dancing Stomping and Yelling.
PANDEMIC DJ SETS
@SPIRIT
FANFARE CIOCARLIA RETURNS
PANDEMIC & CONSORTIUM PRESENT:::
FANFARE CIOCARLIA
$17 advance online sales NOW AVAIL BROWN PAPER TIX
Last year, Hollywood came knocking in the remote eastern Romanian village of Zece Prajini, a hop, skip, and a jump from the former Soviet republic of Moldova. With its muddy streets, horse-drawn carts, and modest houses, the place, even according to villagers, is “the end of the earth.” What attracted movie moguls to Zece Prajini? Borat needed a cover of the biker anthem “Born to be Wild,” and they had a very particular group in mind. That group was Fanfare Ciocãrlia, the speed-loving masters of Romany brass music’s curlicue melodies and exhilarating rhythms, who were sought out for the soundtrack of last year’s quirky hit, “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” And while it may seem odd to have rural Romanian gypsies playing Steppenwolf behind the antics of a pseudo-Kazakh, it’s just par for the course for the eleven-member, multi-generational Fanfare Ciocãrlia, whose history and inspirations span the globe. This history comes to life on Queens and Kings (Asphalt Tango Records), an album that draws together the reigning royalty of Europe’s Roma musicians and pays touching tribute to Ioan Ivancea, Ciocarlia’s late bandleader.
2016 BOOM!
on December 22, 2015 December 22, 2015 By pandemicpgh
I feel like pictures are worth so much more than any blabber i have to say. But i will say this, 2016 is going to kick off with some amazing Pandemic events. We have some really big things in the works that we can’t even really announce yet. But between you and me, there will be plenty to do and a lot to keep you busy until the weather is nice enough to party outside.
Pittonkatonk programming is underway for our May 7 event at Vietnam Veterans Pavilion. I’m working on a program at Spirit called The Rec Room : Winter Games w/ City of Play that will kick off Jan 24, 2016.
DJ gigs, Live band productions and a lot of other crazy shit coming down the line.
Meanwhile listen to some of this…
Coming up on 10!
on August 12, 2015 August 17, 2015 By pandemicpgh
Summer is unfortunately coming to a close but that means I’m ramping up for a great series of shows in the fall and winter. We are quickly approaching the 10 Year Anniversary of Pandemic. This is the first in a series of events leading up.
Friday Sept 4th Pandemic is squaring off again w/ Juan Diego for a night of Cumbia, Tropical Bass, International Flavors, Coastal Vibes, Manele, Chalga, Bhangra, Bollywood, and more. Juan Diego and Pandemic Pete have been teaming up and destroying dance floors for the past 3 years. You may have caught them at the Cosmopolitan Pgh event back in July or at the La Misa Negra show at Bayardstown Social Club.
TAL NATIONAL THURSDAY SEPT 3rd AT THUNDERBIRD
http://talnational.bandcamp.com/track/zoy-zoy
with special guest Matthew Tembo
By the time Tal National reached international acclaim with 2013’s ‘Kaani’, the band’s first release outside of Niger, they had spent a decade crisscrossing dirt pathways through the Sahara, playing epic five-hour sets, seven days a week and selling their CDs on street corners. In the process, they became Niger’s most popular band, with songs blasted on national TV and cell phones. Following FatCat Records’ release of ‘Kaani’, Western audiences and critics embraced the band’s finely-honed sound. NPR were hit by “the band’s tightness and fiery energy”; The Guardian praised “their full-tilt approach, and hypnotic intensity”; while Songlines wrote of “a rich, hybrid sound that draws on familiar West African elements to create something rewardingly fresh and different”. FatCat released their dazzling follow-up, ‘Zoy Zoy’ in April 2015, which Pitchfork called “colorful and bright and dizzying, [recalling the] wall-of-sound quality of Konono No. 1, except more frenzied and texturally varied.”
Niger borders Nigeria, Mali and Ghana, and is also the home of well-known musicians Bombino and Etran Finatawa. Collected within this former French colony can be found Songhai, Fulani, Hausa, and Tuareg populations, all of whom are represented in the membership of Tal National. The nation is no stranger to highlife, kora and afrobeat musics, while giving the world Tuareg Blues and a unique brand of hip-hop. In Tal National’s music can be heard the rolling 12/8 rhythms in the Hausa’s fuji percussion, the pensive aridity of the Tuareg’s assouf and the exquisite griot guitar of Mali’s Songhai, all delivered with virtuoso precision and unrelenting energy. After listing ‘Kaani’ in its top 10 albums of 2013, The New York Times wrote that “the music keeps leaping ahead with one surprise after another: guitar parts that align and diverge and reconfigure, drumming that pounces on offbeats. The patterns are crisp, complex and tireless.”
This concert is co-sponsored with The Consortium, Pandemic and Calliope.
ALSO HELPING OUT W/ ROOTS: A ROOTS REGGAE FESTIVAL
The Detroit Party Marching Band is a guerrilla band based in Detroit, Michigan. The band appears at events unexpectedly.[1] The band has played at events such as Mardi Gras (2012), Theatre Bizarre, Noel Night, Blowout!, the Nain Rouge parade,[2] the Hamtramck Labor Day Parade, 2010 Detroit Free Press Marathon,[3] and HONK![4] in Somerville, MA, as well as at many bars and parties throughout the Detroit area, both scheduled and unexpectedly. It has supported acts such as Band of Horses, Rebirth Brass Band, and What Cheer? Brigade. It was founded by Rachel Harkai and John and Molly Notarianni,[5] who felt inspired by the second-line bands they saw in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and also after a trip to HONK! in late 2009. Its repertoire is a mix of Balkan and Balkan-inspired songs, and modern pop and R&B rearranged for brass, usually by the members themselves. They have also toured the Netherlands in Europe as part of the Cross Linx festival. They enjoy the admiration of their mothers, each other, and various drunks in and around Detroit.
SATURDAY NOV 22 :::: PITCHBLAK BRASS BAND returnts to PGH as well w/ THE PEOPLE”S CHAMPS
more details soon.
Hip hop music has always been unafraid to push boundaries. Perhaps because it simultaneously came from nothing yet came from everything, the genre stands alone in how creatively outside influences can be incorporated into its musical mix.
PitchBlak Brass Band uses the epic sounds of tubas, trombones, saxophones and other typically non-hip hop instruments in the spirit of The Roots and some of rap’s iconic live bands, to deliver an energy that samples, loops and breakbeats can’t always capture. Their blend of soundscapes and lyrical exuberance creates a grand adventure in listening, one that can hold the attention of music fans from across a fairly wide spectrum.
-Manny Faces, Birthplace Magazine
THE PEOPLE”S CHAMPS
eople’s Champs combines the hottest dance rhythms from West Africa and South America with retro-futurist synth tones, crafting them into indie songs with Stevie Wonder-esque lyrics.
With their “crazy ass genre mash ups” (Blakbook), People’s Champs’ truly original sound is equal parts Sharon Jones, tUnE-yArDs, Os Mutantes, William Onyeabor, and Prince. Critics are calling People’s Champs a “New York supergroup!” (Lucid Culture) and “Well on their way to becoming NYC’s de facto Funk and Afrobeat experience” (Deli Magazine).
AUGUST & MORE
on July 30, 2015 July 30, 2015 By pandemicpgh
AUG 7 Pandemic hits Brillobox again. Things are coming at me so fast i can’t keep it all straight. I’ll have some major updates to the site coming in the next few days. Sit tight and listen to this mix
This Saturday I’m at FEASTIVAL!
PITTONKATONK MAY DAY MAY DAY!!! SOOOO MUCH GOING ONS
on April 7, 2015 April 26, 2015 By pandemicpgh
w/ Resident Pandemic Pete
guest dj SMI
Pandemic is a dance party featuring music from around the globe. Every first friday and third saturday brillobox transforms into a transglobal dance party. There are no boarders, no pretense, no bottle service.Prepare yourself for a night of Bhangra, Balkan Brass, Cumbia, Chalga, Funk Carioca, Russian Ska and more.
Brillobox
4104 Penn Ae
https://pandemicpgh.com/
w/ Resident Pandemic Pete & guest Juan Diego (and guest?)
May Day and Cinco De Mayo all in one.
Pandemic is a dance party featuring global dancehall. Every first friday and third saturday brillobox transforms into a transglobal dance party. There are no boarders, no pretense, no bottle service.Prepare yourself for a night of Bhangra, Balkan Brass, Cumbia, Chalga, Funk Carioca, Russian Ska and more. While the term Global bass isn’t a term i enjoy it’s probably the best way to describe it.
https://www.indiegogo.com/project/pittonkatonk-2015-a-pittsburgh-may-day-brass-bbq/embedded/5318844
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE FUNDS TO OUR INDIEGOGO
http://igg.me/p/pittonkatonk-2015-a-pittsburgh-may-day-brass-bbq/x/5318844
So happy and relieved to announce that we have officially CONFIRMED THE LOCATION AND DATE FOR PITTONKATONK!!!!
It’s gonna be…
SATURDAY MAY 2nd 2015
THE VIETNAM VETERANS PAVILION
(same great space)
Full Lineup will be announced soon.
so far we have
WhAT CHEER BRIGADE
Pitchblack Brass Band
Black Bear Combo
Detroit Party Marching Band
Beauty Slap
Colonel Eagleburgers Goodtime Highstep Marching Band
some other locals and some other nationals TBA
https://pittonkatonk.com/ for more info
https://twitter.com/pittonkatonk
https://facebook.com/pittonkatonk
the indiegogo will launch on March 6
This event is FREE but WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Please contribute to our indiegogo campaign and tell your friends to also contribute.
WHAT is Pittonkatonk?
Pittonkatonk is a community celebration in the form of Brass BBQ. When was the last time you danced until you hurt? When you saw a band play in a public space where there wasn’t a stage or even a need for a stage? Everyone is treated as a VIP because there are no ticket prices, no vending, nothing holding you back from engaging. Pittonkatonk 2014 was a success because we made a direct call to the community and they answered. In Pittonkatonk’s first year we welcomed over 750 spectators and almost 100 performing musicians. Together we went from dancing the kolo to a moshpit. Pittonkatonk made a lasting impression in the community because it blurred the lines between music festival and a family reunion. Our festival is a success when YOU, the community participates. When EVERYONE can celebrate together regardless of age, race, class. We want YOU to bring what you can, whether its making a dish of food, donating $25-$500, volunteering, helping to clean up, or just spectating.
Community Support..
Council Person Corey O’Connor’s office
Oakland Planning and Development Corp
Hazelwood Initiative
Pgh Children’s Museum
Center for Creative Reuse
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Amazon Artboard 1 chevron_rightchevron_round facebook instagram-export instagram itunes linkedin pinterest searchshare star twitter
Peopledesign has ideas about design and innovation. X
About Change
Originality in Branding
Originality requires both knowledge and courage.
Watch Video: Finding Focus
Originality inspires designers. We like to think that it inspires companies, too. People respond to originals, is it the originality itself to which they’re responding, or the courage to take a risk and do something unique?
Timelessness
During the first decades of the twentieth century, graphic identity was a novel idea. As the appetite for logos has increased, the marketplace has grown more crowded. Today, with more marks than ever vying for attention, freshness can be one way to slice through the noise. But freshness is different than originality.
When high-profile companies rebrand themselves with a new logo and a new attitude, sometimes the decisions are wise. Often, they are not. Facelifts don’t create an original face; they just make the same old one look a little fresher.
When AT&T hired Saul Bass to design the mark that would become their famous Bell System logo in 1969, the company remained committed to the mark until its breakup in 1983. The freshness may have worn off, but over its fourteen-year run, Bass’s Bell Telephone logo enjoyed a 93 percent recognition rate in the U.S.
Some of the most effective graphic identities rely more on a sense of enduring quality than on originality per se. Cuisipro employs a classic modern style that looks like it could have been designed in 1960—and we mean that as a compliment.
In the crazy picture-in-a-box world we live in, the chance of doing something graphically that has never been done before has slimmed. The real opportunity for originality opens up when designers take a chance and try something different with a logo in application. Two companies might have pretty similar logos, but express a wildly different aesthetic sensibility when they’re applied.
This Motorola program strikes a balance between the familiar and the new.
Companies often miss the opportunities presented by identity programs. That’s because doing something truly original with an identity program takes guts. Part of the reason the Nike logo succeeded was that it was an original shape, but the company also had the guts to do something different with it. They downplayed or completely removed the company name. That idea isn’t going to make it past too many clients, but not only did Nike have the guts to pursue it, they created a cultural icon by doing so.
Some of today’s most successful brands capitalize on human emotion. The organizations behind these brands focus not only on achieving business goals, but also on meeting human needs.
Competitors might be able to mimic Nike or Apple aesthetically, but what makes these companies true originals isn’t the fact that they have beautiful graphic identities and execute them as part of disciplined programs. In both cases, these companies also have built brands that dial into primary human needs. Original thinking developed a brand identity for each company that goes well beyond the products they make.
Originally published in Brand Identity Essentials.
Thank you to all our image contributors.
Era of Choice
Brand Meaning
Customer Mindshare
Applied Textiles
Peopledesign developed a new graphic identity and brand image for Applied Textiles that is simple, extendable, and playful.
Authentic Brands
Authentic brands are sustainable brands.
Brand Idealism
Brands are about ideas, and chase ideals.
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Would you like to learn more about Peopledesign? Let’s connect.
Thank you! We'll be in touch soon.
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Vol. XLII No. 48 December 02, 2018
Economic Notes
Science and Development
Defense and Strategic Affairs
Working Class issues
Agrarian Matters
Students and Youth Issues
Singur to Raj Bhaban March in Bengal
From our Special Correspondent
THOUSANDS of peasants and agricultural workers started a two day march on November 28 from Singur, demanding remunerative price for produces, work for all and industries in the state. The march began from Singur as the place had seen both the destruction of industry and agriculture. The march will reach near Raj Bhavan on November 29.
Addressing the gathering before the start of the march, AIKS general secretary Hannan Mollah said, a suicidal movement has forced the dismantling of a factory in Singur. After the order from the apex court, West Bengal state government has demolished the factory sheds. But still the peasants are not in a position to cultivate their lands. The chief minister spread some seeds here but no agricultural land has been really cultivated. The chief minister is lying that farmers have got back their lands and in Singur cultivation, is going on. The farmers of Singur have neither got industry nor land. They have lost everything. AIKS demands the state government to either build up industry here or implement the Supreme Court order in letter and spirit.
The march has raised the slogan of remunerative price for agricultural produces in the state. Mollah said, farmers are not getting due prices. In many parts of the state, they are forced to sell their produces at distress prices. In many parts, farmers have thrown away potatoes. Agriculture workers are suffering due to lack of work. Thousands have been forced to leave the state in search of work. Peasants’ movement has taken up the issue of agriculture workers. A new surge of joint movement has created new enthusiasm.
Mollah said, in West Bengal peasants have earned their rights through big struggles in the past. They will do it once again.
The march took a rest in Howrah-Hooghly district border at night. The marchers stayed at the houses of local people, most of them from middle classes.
Contact Editorial desk [email protected] Managerial office [email protected]
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Kia ‘Stinger GT’ will be “fastest acclerating” model ever
Mitchell Jones Dec 12, 2016
Car News, Kia, Videos
Mitchell Jones
Kia has dropped the most tantalising piece of information yet on its four-door performance ‘coupe’ due to be revealed on January 8, 2017.
The first video showed a test version of the car reaching speeds of up to 244km/h on one of the Nurburgring Nordschleife’s straights, showing customers that the Korean brand is ready to deliver a highly tuned and focused performance machine.
This latest, second video shows the prototype at Kia’s Namyang R&D centre, on the high speed circuit before proclaiming it is capable of a 5.1-second 0-100km/h time.
This makes it the fastest accelerating car ever seen from the carmaker and puts it straight into (extinct) Falcon XR6 Turbo and (on its way out) Commodore SS territory – giving Australian buyers a real alternative in terms of performance when it comes time to trade in.
The presence of the Stinger concept and GT concept at the bottom of the special website, thecurveahead.net, lends credence to the rumour that the car will be named Stinger GT.
Expected to be priced in the $50,000 mark, the Stinger GT, which was recently caught undisguised, will share its platform and 3.3-litre turbocharged, 270kW V6 with the Genesis G70.
We will bring you more details as they come to hand.
Kia GT, Kia Stinger, Kia Stinger GT
GT-R-powered Nissan Qashqai becomes fastest SUV in the world April 23, 2018
Hennessey Venom F5 previewed again, new fastest car in the world? November 1, 2017
Jaguar F-Pace production hits 100,000, fastest-selling Jag ever November 17, 2017
R36 Nissan GT-R to be “fastest super sports car in the… July 16, 2018
Mitchell was a contributing journalist and features writer at PerformanceDrive. He has been a passionate petrol-head from a very young age. He is excited by the future of the industry, and considers himself as a bit of a fanatic when it comes to the technical aspects of cars. He is also fascinated by new cars that are popping up in developing markets.
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Philosophy Meta
Philosophy Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for those interested in the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. Join them; it only takes a minute:
Common fallacy of everything being its worst form [closed]
What is the fallacy of equating everything with its worst example?
Slippery slope argument I guess, but I"m looking for something more specific.
closed as unclear what you're asking by Keelan♦, James Kingsbery, stoicfury Feb 10 '15 at 10:47
Please clarify your specific problem or add additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it’s hard to tell exactly what you're asking. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
could be en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman but i'm thinking of something that is more emotive ? – user6917 Jan 9 '15 at 2:54
This is the worst question ever. – DA. Feb 8 '15 at 21:50
@DA I've seen way worse. This isn't a bad question. OP is asking for the name of this particular logical fallacy. "Love it or leave it." That means, "If you're going to criticize the government, then why not just leave the country?" There must be a name for that fallacy. This is a perfectly sensible question. – user4894 Feb 9 '15 at 2:23
@user4894 I was making an attempt at being funny. I may have failed. – DA. Feb 9 '15 at 2:27
What's your question? – curiousdannii Feb 9 '15 at 7:32
Here is a reference claiming that "Love it or leave it" is the fallacy of False Dilemma.
Definition: A limited number of options (usually two) is given, while in reality there are more options. A false dilemma is an illegitimate use of the "or" operator.
(i) Either you're for me or against me.
(ii) America: love it or leave it.
http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/logicalfallacies.html
Here is a second source labelling "Love it or leave it" as a False Dilemma.
https://eee.uci.edu/faculty/losh/resources/in-class/noblelf.html
i think false dilemma is sufficient. thank s ! – user6917 Feb 12 '15 at 6:10
Seems to me like they all have false premises. If I'm not mistaken your first example is :
All communists are in North Korea. You are a communist. you should move to North Korea.
I'd say that most people believing the worst possible truths have valid logic but false premises.
Not all communists live in North Korea.
Alexandre BabeanuAlexandre Babeanu
it's meant quite rhetorically. 1. all communists are like those in n korea 2. u are a communist 3. so you are like the communists of n korea... something like that anyway, they are just saying that every communist wants to create a n korean dystopia – user6917 Jan 9 '15 at 3:07
I don't know if this is the right answer here, given that this is philosophy. This might be better as an english.se answer.
But I'd suggest 'hyperbolic' is perhaps what you are looking for. That's not really a philosophy, though.
DA.DA.
What's so fallacious about the Slippery Slope Fallacy?
Argument Analysis: Is this argument a slippery slope?
How to avoid the slippery slope fallacy in arguments and discussions?
When a fallacy actually occurs
Name of fallacy of confusing technical term with its everyday meaning?
Robert E. Lee vs George Washington - What kind of fallacy?
Slippery slope fallacy, clarification on its correct use
Common name of “overgeneralization” logical fallacy
What fallacy is this?
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Home » Inbound Hub | Insiders » How to Turn a Bad Day Around [Infographic]
November 28, 2016 Amanda Zantal-Wiener
"I had a bad day."
How often do you find yourself saying that? Once? Twice? Several times throughout the day?
If it's more than once each week, you've got company -- 29% of people say that they have at least two bad days at work every week.
Well, shoot. That's not good. I mean, I can understand having a "bad day" after you've spilled coffee all over your new jeans, or got a wicked papercut. But that same study says that these bad days go beyond little accidents -- they're caused by factors like negative co-workers, a lack of recognition, or generally poor work-life balance.
This stuff has got to stop.
But what is a person to do? It turns out, it's possible to turn around a bad day -- and, some might say, kind of easy with the right kind of approach. And luckily, the folks at Headway Capital put together this nifty infographic that shows you all the ways to do just that. So go ahead -- turn that frown upside down. Today doesn't have to be bad.
Blink. Blink. Blink. It's the dreaded cursor-on-a-blank-screen experience that all writers -- am...
The days are getting shorter, the air is getting colder, and the airwaves are awash with holida...
4 Common A/B Testing Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
When you're creating content for the web, it's easy to make assumptions about what you think your audience might respond to -- but that's not necessarily the right mentality. Enter...
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Jonny Appleseed : a novel
NNELS formats guide
Login to access DAISY 3 - Full Text and Audio (74.35 MB)
Running Time: 05:49 hrs
Narrator: Apple Alex (synthetic)
BC Libraries Cooperative, 2018
Login to access DAISY 202 - Full Text and Audio (74.27 MB)
Login to access DOC (166.85 KB)
Login to access PDF (1.83 MB)
Arsenal Pulp Press, 2019
Login to access BRF - Electronic Braille (128.83 KB)
Note: This book was purchased with support from the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component.
Author: Whitehead, Joshua
"You're gonna need a rock and a whole lotta medicine" is a mantra that Jonny Appleseed, a young Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer, repeats to himself in this vivid and utterly compelling novel. Off the reserve and trying to find ways to live and love in the big city, Jonny becomes a cybersex worker who fetishizes himself in order to make a living. Self-ordained as an NDN glitter princess, Jonny has one week before he must return to the "rez," and his former life, to attend the funeral of his stepfather. The next seven days are like a fevered dream: stories of love, trauma, sex, kinship, ambition, and the heartbreaking recollection of his beloved kokum (grandmother). Jonny's world is a series of breakages, appendages, and linkages--and as he goes through the motions of preparing to return home, he learns how to put together the pieces of his life. Jonny Appleseed is a unique, shattering vision of Indigenous life, full of grit, glitter, and dreams.
Genre: Canadian fiction, Bildungsromans
Subject(s): Gay youth | Indigenous peoples | Self-realization | Two-spirit people | Computer sex | Homecoming
Original Publisher: Vancouver, British Columbia, Arsenal Pulp Press
Collection(s)/Series: Scotiabank Giller Prize 2018 | Governor General's Literary Awards 2018 | First Nation Communities Read 2019
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Thrive LOUD with Lou Diamond
Careers Business Marketing Connecting Goals Leadership Success Thrive
Thrive LOUD with Lou Diamond « »
277: 'Sustainable Design'
By Lou Diamond. Discovered by Player FM and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Player FM, and audio streamed directly from their servers.
In this minisode, we go back to a conversation between Mara Hoffman and Lou Diamond as Mara shares her focus on committing to creating a company and a culture that prioritizes sustainable within the Mara Hoffman designs.
Enjoy this brief slice of brilliance from a Thrive LOUD favorite!
Connect to Lou Diamond: www.loudiamond.net
Subscribe to Thrive LOUD: www.thriveloud.com/podcast
325: Alexa Curtis - Life Unfiltered29:07
Alexa Curtis inspires teens around the globe to be fearless. She started this journey at the age of 12 and has been living a life unfiltered for almost a decade. Her incredibly popular Life Unfiltered blog, podcast, Radio Disney show Fearless Everyday and brand are everywhere and she is one incredibly fun person. Hear all about her story, her p ...…
324: Jonathan Soares - Agency Labs15:56
Jonathan Soares is a man that has built a business no one thought was possible in the agency world. He is solving one of the biggest problems digital and creative agencies face - limited access to high caliber engineers. As Founder and CEO of Agency Labs, Jonathan and his team of full-stack engineers and technical project managers serve as the ...…
323: Joseph Bilotta - EduKick27:45
Joseph Bilotta is a program manager, teacher, counselor, coach, academy director who has over 35 years of professional experience working with young people in education and/or soccer related programs. He is the founder & President of EduKick. A tri-lingual ex-professional American Soccer player that has played at the soccer powerhouse St. Mary' ...…
322: Darnell Epps - "Second Chances"44:19
Sometimes those that Thrive LOUD inspire others from their journey on the long road back. From the Brooklyn housing projects, to private Catholic School, to a near 17-year incarceration at Five Points Correctional Facility, to Cornell University, Darnell Epps '19 is not your typical Cornell Senior. Hear Darnell's fascinating and inspirational s ...…
321: "Every Day, Every Week, Every Month"6:43
Wrapping up “FinTech” week we go back to one of our early guests Adam Frisch CEO of BIM Networks. In this minisode, Adam shares what the BIM payment platform is all about. Since the initial recording, BIM is up and running with some of the world’s largest brands where "every day, every week and every month" transactions are most prevalent. BIM ...…
320: Thomas Sponholtz - Unison34:00
Thomas Sponholtz is the founder of Unison (the smarter, better way to own homes) and leads the company’s overall strategic direction. He has more than twenty years of experience building large-scale consumer finance and investment management businesses. Thomas has been on the Board of Outward Bound, he is an avid sailboat racer and kite surfer, ...…
319: Johnny Reinsch - Qwil34:25
Johnny Reinsch is the co-founder & CEO of Qwil. Previously, he was the SVP of Strategy at Xapo, the world’s secure bitcoin wallet and vault where he helped evangelize bitcoin in developing economies as an alternative to broken banking and financial systems. He is a recovering M&A lawyer, having done over $10B in M&A deals before leaving big law ...…
318: "Catching Up with The Godfather"14:14
In the midst of Thrive LOUD's "FinTech" week it made perfect sense to catch up and reconnect with "The Godfather of FinTech" himself Ron Suber. Enjoy this "Catch Up" minisode where we also tacked on Ron's focus on "ReWirement" vs. "ReTirement". *** Connect with Lou Diamond: www.loudiamond.net Subscribe to Thrive LOUD: www.thriveloud.com/podcast…
317: 'Blockchain Crypto Building Blocks'8:27
Media personality Amanda B. Johnson has been providing cryptocurrency research and commentary since 2014. She is obsessed with monetary theory. Her educational and opinion pieces have appeared in leading industry publications including Bitcoin Magazine, Finance Magnates and Bitcoin.com. For FinTech Week, we go back to the original Thrive LOUD e ...…
316: "BondCliQ'in on all Cylinders"8:43
Chris White is the founder and CEO of ViableMkts & BondCliQ. His 20 year career in finance has been almost exclusively dedicated to fixed income market evolution and has included roles at MarketAxess, Barclays Capital, and most recently, Goldman Sachs. To kick off "FinTech" Week on Thrive LOUD - listen in to Chris White as he shares with Lou Di ...…
315: Julien & Suelyn Farel - Passion & Perseverance26:24
Julien and Suelyn Farel are a truly dynamic duo. Julien is a world-renowned hair stylist and Suelyn is a master marketer. Together they have managed to run a machine of a business...remain solid life partners and parents They have created a hair care line (Restore and Magnifique) which aims to rejuvenate the hair via the scalp, which is wildly ...…
314: "White Guy Whisperer"6:25
Speaker, Educator, and would be vegan… if it weren’t for peanut butter chocolate milkshakes… Jess Pettitt is featured in a Thrive LOUD Minisode. Plucked from their conversation back in 2018, Jess shares with Lou Diamond how she became the most unlikely, but perfect, vehicle to help the average "white guy" with the issues they confront. Enjoy !! ...…
313: Scott Amyx - "Amyx of Innovation"30:12
Scott Amyx is an expert in innovation that integrates exponential technologies and out-of-the-box thinking and methodologies to create breakthrough new innovations for organizations. In his most recent Forbes column, he discussed the use of crowdsourcing and AI with research-based analogical innovation that can systematically and consistently g ...…
312: $5 Million – The Science of Success, with John Mitchell33:45
John Mitchell’s 12 minute a day Think It Be It technique is recognized today as the “Top Practical Application in the World” of the legendary book Think and Grow Rich. When he applied his technique to his own life, he saw his income go to over $5 million a year. Previously, for 20 years as an entrepreneur, he earned low six figures a year. The ...…
311: "Unstoppable"3:35
In this Thrive LOUD Minisode - we go back two years to Lou's conversation with Mark Bomback. The "unstoppable" screenwriter shares his advice to any future screenplay writers out there that there's no secret sauce or magic wand for being successful. Mark reminds us that there is no substitute for perseverance and hard work. Be on the lookout fo ...…
310: Alice Heiman - TradeShow Makeover34:29
Alice Heiman is the ideal sales strategist. She delivers results by working with a company’s senior executives using her unique combination of experience in sales, sales management, process implementation and facilitation. She has provided her expertise to start-ups and small businesses up to Fortune 100 companies the world over. Getting connec ...…
309: Kindra Hall - Stories That Stick34:24
Kindra Hall is a professional storyteller. She is the President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective -- a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today's business challenges. From some of the largest companies on the planet from tech to financial services, from sales, to marketing, to top level le ...…
308: Connecting Small Business Owners14:54
It's a Thrive LOUD "Catch Up" Minisode - where Lou Diamond gets to sit down and chat with former Thrive LOUD guest Peter Kozodoy. Peter shares how he's helping small business owners by his (1) Authority Selling Program for owners of (usually) service businesses and (2) Forum - Peter's amazing group coaching program for small business owners. Li ...…
307: Laura Sicola - Vocal Impact33:32
Dr. Laura Sicola is a leadership communication and influence expert, speaker, and author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. She has coached executives along with politicians, and business owners on how to confidently and authentically present themselves as true leaders whether on stage, on camera or just on the phone in ...…
306: Adam Carswell - "Untitled"33:01
Adam Carswell is a director at Concordia Realty Corporation and Business Development Manager at Asym Capital, two privately-held commercial real estate firms. He is also a podcast host of Dream Chaser and an avid vlogger with his vlog “Untitled” A fun, real, deep and entertaining chat on Thrive LOUD as Adam connects with Lou from the first city ...…
305: Thriving Women of Podcasting39:47
In a special podcasting panel episode of Thrive LOUD, Lou Diamond brings forth amazing women in podcasting. Listen in to a fun panel discussion as Lou is joined by: Heather Hansen - host of the Elegant Warrior Podcast Karen Briscoe - host of the 5 Minute Success Podcast JJ Flizanes - host of a network of podcast programs Nancy Giere - co-host o ...…
304: Samantha DiGennaro - dgc35:57
Samantha DiGennaro is a trusted confidante to some of media and marketing’s most successful executives. Her top-to-top strategic counsel and crisis management expertise are considered invaluable. Since the founding of her company DGC in 2006, her energy, creativity and vision have driven the PR agency's culture and have set the tone for deep an ...…
303: 'Permission Based Selling'6:24
We went back to June 2018 and pulled a great lesson from Ryan Foland in one of the more fun podcast interviews on Thrive LOUD, Ryan shares with us a very powerful (and arguably painful) analogy as it relates to permission based selling and sharing with people the problem you solve versus what you do. ** Connect to Lou Diamond: www.loudiamond.ne ...…
302: Marissa Orr - Lean Out41:03
Marissa Orr spent 15 years working at today’s top tech giants, Google and Facebook. She has conducted talks for thousands of people in the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, at companies and universities such as Google, Twitter, Pace University, New School, American Express, and more. Originally from Miami, Orr received her Masters degree in Decisio ...…
301: Gerald Leonard - Workplace Jazz29:59
Gerald Leonard is a speaker, consultant, and professional bass player who offers a unique approach to accomplishing more productivity in the workplace. As an accomplished musician, creativity, innovation and peak performance are part of his world. He leverages these very principles to give your business the edge needed to succeed in a highly co ...…
300: '300'34:37
It's the 300th Episode of Thrive LOUD! To honor the milestone, Lou brings back the original producer and voiceover for Thrive LOUD - Strickland Bonner. The two chat about the world of podcasting and what has changed since the very first episode of TL launched over 2 years and three hundred episodes ago. They also cover some of their guilty plea ...…
299: Tracy Fink - The Tortoise Institute28:54
Tracy Fink is a change agent, teacher and leader who is passionate about showing people how to become “unstuck” and flourish in their environments. She is the CEO and Founder of The Tortoise Institute which offers secular and science-based programs focusing on building emotional intelligence in organizations and communities. She also offers lea ...…
298: "Laugh At First Swipe"35:17
Nancy Giere comes from a large and very loud Sicilian family. she learned that the best way to be heard is to tell a great story and make people laugh. Cindy Mayne works as a counselor, interventionist and hypnotherapist - and is often asked if hypnosis works for erectile dysfunction ;-) ! Together they are about to launch an amazing podcast pr ...…
297: Kia Orion - "People are the X Factor"38:30
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296: "State of Mind"4:42
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295: Michael Dermer - The Lonely Entrepreneur30:58
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294: Ralph Peterson - "Get Over Yourself"33:06
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293: "...Two Years Ago.."10:44
Thrive LOUD turns 2 years old and to mark the milestone Lou and the Thrive LOUD Interns (Cristina Brown, Sophia Gao & Anjuli Fink) are joined by podcaster extraordinaire Doug Sandler. Connect with Lou Diamond: www.loudiamond.net Subscribe to Thrive LOUD: www.thriveloud.com/podcastBy Lou Diamond.
292: Susan RoAne - Mingling Maven®32:30
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291: Tech Industry, Then & Now5:21
Pulled from the original interview back in 2018, executive chairman of ShareThis, Kurt Abrahamson gives a quick snapshot of the people in the tech industry from early in his career up to today in a Thrive LOUD Minisode. *** Connect to Lou Diamond: www.loudiamond.net Subscribe to Thrive LOUD: www.thriveloud.com/podcast…
290: Ron Karr - Velocity Sales28:49
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289: Tracey Lawrence - 'Dementia Sucks'42:49
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288: Alicia Grande - Grande Cosmetics30:33
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287: "Story Fuel"4:20
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286: Scott Buss - Advent Jets27:22
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285: Melody Kramer - Lawyers Decoded31:46
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284: 'Intrapreneur'5:15
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283: Michael Coles - Time to Get Tough!35:51
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282: Jimmy Choi - Fox Ninja38:14
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281: John Storyk - Serendipity46:57
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280: Hattie Wiener - RetroAge31:52
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279: 'Humor That Works'6:12
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278: Jordan Gremli - Fans First34:02
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277: 'Sustainable Design'5:38
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276: Jennifer Willey - Wet Cement35:38
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Start listening to Thrive LOUD with Lou Diamond on your phone right now with Player FM's free mobile app, the best podcasting experience on both iPhone and Android. Your subcriptions will sync with your account on this website too. Podcast smart and easy with the app that refuses to compromise.
Professional Development for Women and Minorities
No one is more responsible for your professional development than you. Career Communications Group (ccgmag.com) makes that possible by bringing you cutting edge management seminars with the nation's leading corporations and agencies executives. Slides for this presentation can be found here: https://www.slideshare.net/ccgmag/woc-women-empowered-to-engage
Small business marketing insights from best selling author John Jantsch and business leaders around the globe.
The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
Speaking Of Wealth
Welcome to the "Speaking of Wealth" podcast showcasing profit strategies for speakers, publishers, authors, consultants, and info-marketers. Learn valuable skills to make your business more successful, more passive, more automated, and more scalable. Your host, Jason Hartman interviews top-tier guests, bestselling authors and experts including; Dan Poynter (The Self-Publishing Manual), Harvey Mackay (Swim With The Sharks & Get Your Foot in the Door), Dan Millman (Way of the Peaceful Warrior) ...
The Startup Chat with Steli and Hiten
Unfiltered insights and actionable advice straight from the trenches of startup and business life.
The HBR Channel
Weekly ideas, insights, and tips on management from Harvard Business Review.
News and views on business and the world of personal finance. Plus the very latest from the financial markets around the globe
TED Talks Business
Some of the world's greatest innovators, entrepreneurs, and business researchers share their stories and insights from the stage at TED conferences, TEDx events and partner events around the world. You can also download these and many other videos for free from TED.com that features interactive English transcript, and subtitles in as many as 80 languages. TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.
Extra Credit: S&P Global Ratings’ Public Finance Podcast
“Extra Credit,” S&P Global Ratings’ U.S. public finance podcast, delivers a mobile overview of trends, rating actions, and credit commentary on the week's most pressing municipal market issues.
Evan Davis hosts the business conversation show with people at the top giving insight into what matters
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» People
» Income and Expenditure
Medical Expenditures In 2000 Reached P34.6 Billion
Medical care expenditures increased by 3.7 percent in 2000
Total family expenditures for medical care in 2000 was reported at P34.6 billion increasing by P4.2 billion or higher by 13.7 percent from its P30.4 billion figure in 1997. This translates to P2,660 medical care expenditures for each family in 2000.
Expenditures for drugs and medicines reported the highest percentage with 46.4 percent, hospital room charges with 24.1 percent, medical charges (including doctor's fee) with 21.7 percent, other medical goods such as alcohol, bandage, plaster, etc. with 3.5 percent and the combined expenditures for dental charges, contraceptives, and other medical and health services with only 4.3 percent.
Adjusted for the 22.0 percent inflation measured from 1997 to 2000, total family expenditures for medical care was P28.4 billion, lower by 6.8 percent than the 1997 figure.
NCR reported the highest average total family expenditures on medical care
Across the regions, NCR reported the highest average total family expenditures for medical care at P4,430. Aside from NCR, four other regions reported average family expenditure for medical care more than the national figure of P2,660. These include Region IV (P3,359), Region VI (P2,881), CAR (P2,799) and Region III (P2,701).
Highest average family expenditure for four medical sub-groups was likewise noted in NCR with P1,957 for drugs and medicine, P9,922 for hospital room charges, P2,971 for medical charges, and P1,091 for dental charges. On the other hand, Region III reported the highest average family expenditures for contraceptives with P396, while Region IV for other medical goods and supplies with P270 average family expenditures, respectively. Meanwhile, CAR topped all other regions in average expenditure for other medical and health services with P1,317. This category includes service fees for herbolarios, faith healers, among others.
ARMM reported the least average family expenditures in all types of medical care expenditures except in dental charges, where Region VIII reported the least.
The Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES) is a nationwide survey of households undertaken every three years by the National Statistics Office. It is the main source of data on family income and expenditures which include among others levels of consumption by item expenditure as well as sources of income in cash and in kind. The results of the FIES provide information on levels of living and disparities in income of Filipino families, as well as their spending patterns.
The 2000 FIES was conducted in two major operations as rider to the regular quarterly Labor Force Survey. The first major operation was in July 2000 and gathered data for the period January 1-June 30, 2000. The second operation was in January 2001 which gathered information for the period July 1-December 2000. The survey involves an interview of national sample of about 41,000 households. Since March 1957, the 2000 FIES is the twelfth in the series conducted.
Expenditures on medical care included drugs and medicines, room charges in public and private hospitals, service fees for doctors, nurses, midwives and dentists, other medical goods and supplies (alcohol, bandages, plaster, adhesives, cold rub, eyeglasses, among others), contraceptives as well as service fees for herbolarios, faith healers and hilots.
(Sgd.)CARMELITA N. ERICTA
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Page last revised: October 7, 2002
TABLE 1. TOTAL AND AVERAGE FAMILY EXPENDITURES FOR MEDICAL CARE 1997 AND 2000.pdf
TABLE 2 TOTAL AND AVERAGE FAMILY EXPENDITURES FOR MEDICAL CARE,BY REGION 2000.pdf
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Part 1: Getting to Know You
Processo de candidatura em universidades dos EUA
Universidade da Pensilvânia
“It depends.” That is what you’ll hear when asking about the U.S. university admission process. With over 4,000 universities in the United States and no standard application system, the U.S. admission process can be confusing for everyone, but especially for students applying from other countries. This course will help international students (non-U.S. citizens) and non-native English speakers navigate the U.S. university admission process by offering practical information about the documents and pieces that make up a U.S. university application. More importantly, admission officers will discuss how they use those pieces to decide who is accepted and who is denied, so that you can understand the process beyond the pieces. By the end of this course, you will understand application basics that include researching schools, creating a school list, and establishing an application plan. This course will not answer all of your application questions, but it will teach you to ask the right questions of yourself and the universities. Ultimately, you will have all the information you need to start your process the right way, putting you on the path to acceptance. * Please note, while the English Language Programs are part of the University of Pennsylvania, this is not a course about applying to Penn. Furthermore, this course is intended for international students educated in the national curriculum of their country. While other students are welcome to enroll, the course is not intended for American students or students studying in an American, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement curriculum. The course is also intended for students who do not have access to university counseling – if you attend a school that offers university counseling, your counselor is the best source of information on applying to university. Finally, this course is for undergraduate (Bachelors degree) freshmen (students who have not attended any university) applicants. Undergraduate transfer applicants, students who have attended a university, will find some of the information helpful, but graduate (Masters and Doctoral) applicants will not.
That was an amazing course! Thank you so much for everything: for information,your time, materials, thank you for your help! Best regards, Valentina
Excellent free resource for anybody applying to US universities or trying to understand the admission process there. Thank you UPenn and Cousera.
Admission Officials Interview Series
While these interviews might be long, this information is some of the most valuable in the course. Throughout the course you have learned that U.S. colleges and universities are all different – different environments, different personalities, and different admission processes. In this module you will hear directly from admission counselors at five schools so that you can see the similarities and differences for yourself. These five schools are from across the U.S. and range from small to large, highly selective to open admission, research focused to liberal arts, and more. The previous parts of the course taught you the theories of U.S. admission, in these interviews you will learn the actual practice from the people who make the admission decisions.
Part 1: Getting to Know You30:13
Part 2: The Application Process7:44
Part 3: The Evaluation Processes15:06
Part 4: Piece-by-Piece Evaluation27:37
Part 5: Additional Information & Advice6:23
Erick Hyde
University Connection Counseling Specialist
Selecionar um idiomaEspanholGregoInglêsRusso
We're here with Lauren Sefton, Associate Director of
Admissions and Graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
Lauren, thank you for being with us today.
>> Thank you, Eric.
So, to start our conversation, let's get to know you a little bit.
Can you tell us a little bit about your role as an admission officer?
>> Sure.
i actually prefer the term counselor, admission counselor, to admission officer.
Because I think a lot of what we do, at least in our office, is counsel students.
We listen to their interests and their needs, what
they're looking to get out of college, and then I
try to assimilate that with the institution that I
work for and see if Rhodes is the right fit.
I explain and educate them about opportunities at Rhodes,
about experiences they might have on campus and off campus.
And then I serve as their advocate throughout the admission process.
So I'm there to answer any questions that
they have when they're going through the application.
I serve as their advocate to our committee in the admission decisions.
And then I help them make more
informed college choices once the decisions come out.
Something that's unusual with Rhodes is
that our admissions officers, our admission
counselors, also serve as financial aid
assistants for incoming and prospective students.
So our financial aid office will work with all current
students, and our admission office works with all incoming students.
So I'm also able to help families and
students learn and understand their, their financial aid packages.
>> And just out of curiosity, do you have a, do you have a
favorite part, is there a, a favorite
aspect [CROSSTALK] of being an admission counselor.
>> I love it all.
I think I have the best job in the world.
I get paid to travel and to talk
to students and share my alma mater with them.
I think my favorite part is traveling during
the fall, most of the fall we travel around
to high schools and around the country, around
the world, and meet with students and their families.
And I think getting, getting excited and having a face to match
with the name later on throughout the admission process is really exciting.
>> Now that we know a little bit about you,
can you help us get to know Rhodes College better?
>> Of course.
Rhodes College is a national, liberal arts and sciences college.
And we have just under 2,000 undergraduate students.
Located right in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis is the 20th largest city in the US.
It's home to about 1.2 million people.
So by U.S. standards, it's a pretty big city right
in the Southern part, mid, mid Southern part of the country.
The college itself again has just under 2,000
students, a beautiful campus with collegiate Gothic architecture.
Most of our students describe it as looking like Hogwarts in the movies.
And we have a wide variety of majors within the liberal arts and sciences,
but our most popular majors are biology,
and business, English, psychology, and international studies.
We have a very strong honor code.
We're one of only 18 schools in the U.S.
to have a completely student run honor code process.
So every single student pledges that they will not lie, cheat, or steal, or
be a party of someone else doing so when they join the Rhodes community.
And that's a big part of our foundation.
We also have a very strong commitment to community service.
In fact, Newsweek magazine has ranked Rhodes as the number one most
community service minded school in the U.S. two years in a row.
I'll the first to admit, I have no idea how
Newsweek comes up with the ranking like that, but that is
one that I will sing from the rooftop, because I
really do think it speaks to the students' culture on campus.
So that emphasis of community service, that living
a life of honor and integrity and that unusual
experience of being a liberal arts and sciences
institution in a major city, makes Rhodes pretty special.
>> That's fantastic information about Rhodes.
One of the things that I'm always telling my students
is that every college and university has their own personality.
How would you describe the personality of Rhodes?
>> That's a great question, Eric, and one that I've put a lot of thought into.
I really think Rhodes is the best of both worlds, and in many different ways.
We are a school that provides the research
opportunities similar to those of a large university
or a research university, yet we provide the
intimate learning experience of a small residential learning community.
We provide that small liberal arts college experience but
yet in a major city, a major metropolitan area.
We provide a rigorous academic setting, and yet
our students have a lot of fun on campus.
And so there's a great sense of balance, so I think
the personality, I don't know that makes Rhodes' personality that of a,
of a balancing act or acrobat, but I think our, our campus
provides one of, of great balance in the best of both worlds.
And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that
our community really revolves around that honor code experience.
And so that personality of the campus infuses
everything that we do from academics to student life.
Students can leave their backpacks and purses by the
cafeteria door while they grab a bite to eat.
They can leave their laptop in the library while they take a study break or go
grab a cup of coffee with friends, and
three hours later it's still there in the library.
And so they know that they can have that sense of trust and responsibility.
And that changes the type of personality of a
college campus feel, I think, in a very important way.
>> So, now that we understand kind of who Rhodes is, or what Rhodes is,
what kind of student thrives at Rhodes, and who might struggle?
>> Mm-hm.
The type of student who thrives at Rhodes is one who is intellectually curious.
You have to love to learn, or else you will be miserable for four years.
And so, the student that thrives is going to be the one that comes in
and is excited to discuss new and
different ideas with classmates and with faculty members.
Not just in the classroom, but in the cafeteria, or
over a sporting event, or hanging out in the quad area.
And so a student that thrives is
certainly one who is intellectually curious and engaged.
Our faculty will tell you a student who thrives is one who
has strong writing and reading abilities,
and capabilities, I think that's so important.
You're going to do a lot of writing and a lot of reading in all of your classes.
Even our math students are writing long research
papers and having to effectively communicate ideas in words.
And so, English competency is really important for all of
our students, whether English is their primary language or not.
We like to make sure they have that strong foundation in reading
and writing, and that strong level
of discussion and engagement in the classroom.
I think students at Rhodes who thrive also have
to be interested in having a passion for growth.
Growth of self, growth of community.
Because you're experiencing the Rhodes exp-, you're
experiencing the Rhodes education for four years.
And so, you want to be able to
explore all of those opportunities and seek out opportunities.
On the flip side, the opposite is true for students who are struggling at Rhodes.
A student that doesn't have a solid reading and
writing foundation is going to have a difficult time academically.
A passive student is going to have
a difficult time academically and socially at Rhodes.
So we really, we're looking for students who are
going to make the most and seek out those opportunities.
>> You mentioned the size of Rhodes,
that you're right around 2,000 undergraduate students.
So Rhodes is of course classified as a smaller school.
Can you tell us a little bit about what it's like to be a part of a
smaller school, and what students can expect in
the day to day life at a smaller school?
I think students will notice the difference
academically first and foremost in a small school.
Our average class size is only 14.
When I went to Rhodes, our biggest class was 33.
And my smallest class was 3, so 14 is a pretty accurate statistic.
You cannot hide in the back of a lecture hall at Rhodes because we don't have them.
There's no way to hide in a class of 100 or 500 or 1,000 students.
So every professor is going to know your name and where you're from, and
what you're excited about, and when your eyes light up in the classroom setting.
They're also going to know when you're not
excited about something they're talking about in class.
And so academically, you're going to have that kind of
level of relationship and engagement with the professor, with every professor.
And every professor will have that same experience with every
single student, because it's a small, small close knit community.
Socially, I think students at a smaller school like Rhodes will
notice that it's actually easier to get involved in clubs and organizations.
And that sounds a little bit contrary, I think.
at, at Rhodes, there's still over a hundred clubs and organizations.
So almost anything a student can imagine getting involved in, is available.
But there's less competition to get involved in those clubs and activities.
If you think about a student who's excited about writing an article for a newspaper
or putting together a proposal to host their
own radio show on our campus radio station.
You're not competing with 25 or 30 or 100 students for that same radio slot.
You've got maybe a competition of five.
And so, it's much easier to actually get involved and
take on leadership positions in activities that you're interested in.
Socially, we're a family, with just over, just under 2,000 students.
You recognize most faces on campus.
You're not going to know everybody, but you tend to
recognize most faces, and so it feels like a family.
The honor code, again, brings those family commitments and family ties
a little bit closer, because you can trust everybody as well.
But you're going to smile at people as you walk into the cafeteria.
You're going to wave at people as you're crossing across campus to get to class.
You know, you know people.
>> Rhodes College is clearly a college [LAUGH]
and that is something that often confuses international students.
The terms college versus university.
Can you tell us what it means to be a
college, and how a college and a university actually differ?
>> Uh-huh.
That actually confuses a lot of U.S. students as well.
that, simply, a college typically is focused on a
smaller size, and as focused on the undergraduate college experience.
A university is oftentimes quite larger, and
it has graduate school programs within it.
Being at Rhodes College, being a, a college environment,
we're focused on the undergraduate experience from beginning to end.
Our resources, our professors, the facilities
are all focused on the undergraduate experience.
Another difference between a college and a university is you apply
to the entire college when you apply in the admissions process.
Whereas at a university, oftentimes you apply
to a specific academic college within that university.
And so there's a little bit of a difference there as we're looking
to shape a class and looking at the class for the entire campus experience.
I also think with a college, personal
attention is awarded to every single student.
Whereas oftentimes at a university, personal attention is
awarded to the student who seeks it out.
And the opportunities are there at both colleges and universities.
They're just a little bit more easy to find, or simply, they fall
in your lap at a college experience,
because you've got that personal attention throughout.
>> Rhodes College was featured in a
very famous book titled Colleges That Change Lives.
The idea that a college could change someone's life is a pretty powerful idea.
How can a college have that sort of impact on a student
and, and what does it mean to be a college that change lives?
>> First of all, Rhodes was very fortunate to
be included in the book of Colleges That Change Lives.
We were very pleased that Loren Pope chose to include us.
There are certainly more than 40 schools
in the United States that change students' lives.
The main difference in being a member of the colleges
that change lives consortium is, again, that focus on the undergraduate
college experience that a student will be different from the
time they enter college through the time that they exit college.
And that they'll have a chance to grow and explore
themselves, the world around them, and their role within that world.
And that makes a big difference when the entire
institution's focus is on your experience as a student.
And so all of the, the schools are included in
the Colleges That Change Lives have that focus on undergraduate experiences.
Very student-centric.
Something else that I love about the author Loren Pope's philosophy
in the college search process is that it is also student-centric.
So he wrote about these schools
that highlighted the college student experience.
But he also wrote about the, the students' own college
search, and how to go about finding the right fit.
And schools that are part of this consortium, or follow the same beliefs of
the colleges that change lives really focus
on the student in the college search process.
>> So, Rhodes College is a nationally ranked liberal arts college.
What does it mean to be a liberal arts college?
>> Well, first of all Eric, the full term is liberal arts and sciences college.
We call it liberal arts for shorthand.
But I don't want to give the impression that you don't
study the sciences in a liberal arts and sciences education.
So the full term is liberal arts and sciences.
But you'll also hear, oftentimes hear it referred to as just the Liberal Arts.
The simplest definition of a liberal arts education
is that no matter what a student's major is,
they will explore classes in the natural sciences,
the social sciences, the fine arts, and the humanities.
And I think one area that is oftentimes confusing
in the term liberal arts sciences is the term liberal.
Some students or some families may think
that liberal refers to a political leaning.
And it doesn't.
It goes back to its purest definition of
meaning liberal as a broad sense, a broad term.
So you are covering a wide variety of subjects in a liberal
arts and sciences education, regardless of what you ultimately choose to major in.
Rhodes does this in a really unique way.
We have what we call a Foundations Curriculum.
And traditionally, liberal arts and sciences
colleges will oftentimes give students a checklist
of classes that they must take in order to graduate in four years.
And those classes are designed to ensure that they
are well-rounded human being by the time they graduate.
You must take two natural sciences and three
social sciences and four humanities, and it's a checklist.
And that's all well and good.
You get a very well rounded liberal arts education.
Rhodes took it a step further a couple of years ago
when we created a Foundations Curriculum, which includes 12 big picture concepts.
Really big ideas that we think students should have
a thorough understanding of by the time they graduate.
Things like you should be able to write well.
You should have an understanding of a culture other than your own.
You should examine questions of ethics and morality.
You should have an understanding of historical analysis and perspective
in the way that it shapes the present day and future.
So big picture ideas.
And students actually get to choose the classes that they
want to take in order to satisfy those 12 foundations.
So there's a lot more ownership of their education over
the course of four years and certainly a lot more flexibility.
My favorite example is in mathematics.
I don't know how many of our student participants are in love with calculus,
but I was not a great math student when I was applying to Rhodes.
It was not my favorite subject, and the idea of
taking calculus was a little bit hard to swallow for me.
But we all need and should learn math in order to be a well rounded human being.
And so with our mathematical foundation, every student should
have a thorough understanding of mathematical analysis and expression.
And for those students who do love calculus or higher level math,
they can choose any one of our math courses to satisfy that foundation.
But they can also choose a computer science
class, or a logics course in our philosophy
department, or an accounting class or statistics course
in our business department to satisfy that foundation.
So, everybody learns math, but hopefully in a
way that is interesting and applicable to them.
So again, it gives students a lot more flexibility
and a lot more ownership of, of their education.
I think for high school students to
understand a liberal arts experience, one of the
easiest ways is to think about what they're
experiencing in their own high school right now.
Because a lot of high schools operate under a liberal arts and sciences model.
Particularly if anybody is participating in an international baccalaureate program.
If you love theory of knowledge, you're going to love a liberal arts curriculum.
But if you think about a time, students, when you have gone to your history class.
And you've learned about a period in, in history, a time period.
And you're understanding the political and economic
forces at work that are shaping that history.
And then you participate in a literature class.
And you read a piece of poetry that was written in that
same time period that you just learned about in your history class.
And your understanding of that poem or that piece of literature is
greater because you now have the historical context to put it into.
And then you move to your science class, and you learn
about an experiment that takes place in that same time period.
And that science experiment could only have
taken place in that historical time period, and
you should know that, because you learned
about the historical influence in your history class.
And the lightbulb goes off, because the dots are
suddenly able to be connected, and everything makes more sense.
You're able to delve more deeply into subject
matter because you can make those connections across disciplines.
If you love that kind of moment as a student in high
school, you're going to love a liberal arts and sciences curriculum in college.
If you are shaking your head listening to this and thinking, wow, that
woman's a little crazy, then liberal arts is probably not the way to go.
>> Thank you for that great explanation of the liberal arts.
now, to, to take it to the next step using Rhodes as the example,
what can a student expect from the day to day of a liberal arts education?
And how might that differ from a non-liberal arts school?
Students can expect a lot of that same interconnectivity across thinking,
across disciplines when they're attending a liberal arts and sciences school.
So, for example, a student may start off with breakfast in the
cafeteria with some of their foreign
language professors discussing French or Russian cinema.
And then they're going to go to their first
class of the day, and that's a chemistry class.
And so, they're switching from foreign language to natural sciences.
And then they might go to their second class
of the day, which would be an art history class.
And so, they're moving from a natural science course
into an art course, or a social science course perhaps.
And then they might pursue a business-related internship that
afternoon at FedEx, whose international headquarters are in Memphis.
And then they'll come back for a
meeting with fellow students about student government.
And so, it's a mix of using all sorts of different
parts of your brain and all sorts of your creative thinking.
Your critical, your critical problem solving and effective communication
skills that are emphasized in a liberal arts curriculum.
>> In describing a liberal arts education, you've highlighted a lot of
the intellectual pursuits in the, the intellectual nature of the the education.
And a question that I get from a lot of the international
students that I work with is, what can I do with it?
So, how would you answer that question?
What is it that you can do, that a student can do with a liberal arts education?
>> What can you do with a liberal arts education?
Anything you want.
And that's the best possible answer because it's absolutely true.
A liberal arts and sciences education emphasizes critical thinking
skills, creative problem solving skills, teamwork, effective communication skills.
And these are all skills that employers time after
time after time say that they want in future employees.
And so you truly can do anything.
We have a lot of students who are interested in health professions.
We have had students from every
single academic department go into medical school.
So you don't just have to be a biology or biochemistry major to pursue med school.
In fact, in last year's graduating class, we had a Greek and Roman studies student.
Think about that, Greek and Roman studies.
Who's now enrolled at Harvard Medical School.
So you can truly do whatever it is that you want to do as the next step.
And I think in so many ways, you are learning for a lifetime.
You are not learning for a vocation or for a
career path, when you study the liberal arts and sciences.
And a lot of employers will say, we
can teach you how to use this computer program.
We can teach you how to use the spreadsheets and how to set up meetings.
So what we don't have time to teach you is how to
be a team player, how to present an effective presentation or sales
pitch to a group of people, how to write and condense a
200-page report into a one paragraph summary to present to your supervisor.
They don't have time to teach you those skills, but those are skills that
you're going to learn every single day in a liberal arts and sciences education.
So what can you do?
[LAUGH]
>> So moving away from the liberal arts
a little bit, you already mentioned Rhodes College's
located in the city of Memphis, Tennessee which,
as you mentioned, is a pretty major U.S. city.
Being in Memphis, that of course gives
Rhodes what's referred to as an urban location.
What is life like in an urban location?
>> It's a lot of fun.
And I'll be honest with you, Eric, one of the
things that drew me to Rhodes when I was a
prospective student many years ago, was the fact that Rhodes
is a small liberal arts college in a major city.
I grew up in the suburbs of a city, so I knew I enjoyed
the advantages of a city, the culture, the arts, the fast-paced life of a city.
But I wanted to actually be in a city, not 45
minutes away or a train ride away out in the suburbs.
And Rhodes is really unusual to be a
small liberal arts college in a major metropolitan area.
And it's exciting to see how our students
take advantage of that city on a daily basis.
First of all, I got to tell you, Memphis is a lot of fun.
It is the home of the Blues and home of Rock and Roll.
So there's a great vibe, a great energy in Memphis.
And in general, anytime you'll find a college or university
settled into a city, into an urban area, you can find
ways to connect what you're learning in a classroom on
a daily basis to practical life, by being in that city.
One of the easiest ways to do that is through internships, certainly.
Rhodes is fortunate enough to have
FedEx in Memphis with their international headquarters.
The national headquarters of Autozone and International Paper are also in Memphis.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is right down the street from our campus.
And so, for our students to be able to connect through internships is a
really great way for them to explore the practicality of a liberal arts degree.
And take that learning from the classroom
and apply it directly to the outside workforce.
And about three quarters of our students will do at least one internship.
I actually did three while I was a student at Rhodes.
So, you can have that work experience, the opportunities
for networking and professional development, and building that resume.
But also trying on some of those jobs
for size before you're committing to something upon graduation.
You'll also see professors take advantage
of the urban environment in their classrooms.
It might be something as simple as a Spanish professor taking
their classes to a local hospital
to provide Spanish language translation services.
Or it could be a history class going to the National
Civil Rights Museum and doing a field trip, if you will.
And exploring some of the things they're learning about and reading in their texts.
It could be one of our urban studies classes
reaching out to urban planners, and talking about city
growth and city planning and public services that need
to happen in a city to make it work well.
We have a relatively new environmental studies program that's
focused on environmental policy, as opposed to environmental science.
And they do a lot of work with the city planners to
discuss recycling and environmental initiatives within
the city to reduce the carbon footprint.
Or recently Memphis has installed bike lanes throughout the city.
And our students got to be involved in some of
the research related to where those bike lanes should be.
How effective they'd be able to, to reduce public
transportation or reduce the use of cars within the city.
So it's really interesting to see how professors
are able to academically tie into the city.
Another way to get involved in an urban environment is through service.
I mentioned that Rhodes has a very high commitment to community service.
We don't require it of our students, but almost everybody participates
in some form of community service by the time they graduate.
And I think that's indicative of being in a big city.
You're taking advantage of Memphis for these internships, for these research
projects, fun things to do on a Friday or Saturday night.
So you naturally just want to give back to the city.
And we'll see that with our Habitat for Humanity Chapter was
the first collegiate Habitat for Humanity Chapter to complete a house.
Our soup kitchen is a completely student run soup kitchen.
And it's the longest continually running student
led soup kitchen in the United States.
So there's a long standing tradition of community service.
But again, that's just easy to do because you are in a, a city environment.
And finally, being in an urban environment just allows for a lot of fun.
It means that your, your college experience is not
just on the campus, it's in the city as well.
I always say you're not making Rhodes your home for
four years, you're also making Memphis your home for four years.
And Memphis is a fun place to be on the weekends.
But it means students aren't solely reliant
on the campus for outside activities whether
it's going to enjoy a Broadway level
play at the Orpheum Theater that's passing through.
In fact, our students have tickets to Wicked
for $5.00 coming up in just a few weeks.
Yes, $5.00.
Rhodes will subsidise blocks of tickets to NBA basketball
games or Minor League baseball games, or the Broadway
shows or the concerts and symphony orchestras that are
performing in Memphis, and then sell those ticket for $5.
So it's a really affordable way for students to take advantage of the city.
And I think you'll find that at most colleges
and universities in the U.S., if they're in an urban
environment, there are usually student level discounts, and so
it becomes affordable to explore your city and have fun.
And I always say Memphis is one of the biggest small
towns, but it has your big city amenities, an NBA pro
basketball team, Minor League baseball team, a very Minor League ice hockey team,
great restaurants, fantastic restaurants, great concerts, great music scene.
And you're able to take advantage of those on a Friday or Saturday night.
And I mentioned earlier that I think
Rhodes' personality is the best of both worlds.
And in some cases, that's for social life as
well because you're able to take advantage of a
student committee improv show, or a student basketball game,
or a movie night, or a lecture on campus.
Or you could take advantage of an NBA team,
or a concert, or a movie off campus as well.
It's kind of like a choose your own adventure novel.
You can choose different options throughout your four years.
And nobody's Friday night is going to look the same at Rhodes.
>> And finally, just to ask about geography.
geographically, Rhodes College is located in Memphis, Tennessee
which is in the Southern part of the US.
What is life in the South all about?
So I moved from the Northern part of the U.S.
to Rhodes to be in the Southern part of the US.
And so I have a good sense of the, the
differences, the cultural differences between those two parts of our country.
And in the South, I think students will expect certainly the
warmer weather than what the rest of the country may be experiencing.
And so for Memphis, our average temperature
in January is only about 5.5 degrees Celsius.
So you still have four distinct seasons, but
they're a lot milder than in some other places.
You still experience the four seasons.
But we only get an average of about seven
centimeters of snow, about three inches of snow a year.
And so it's enough to be pretty at falls.
You look at it, you enjoy it, you build snow people that are about that tall.
[LAUGH] And then it melts and disappears.
And so certainly I think a lot of our international
students appreciate the warmer weather of being in the South.
The South is also known for a more relaxed pace of life, and that's true.
People walk more slowly.
They talk more slowly.
They kind of stop and smell the roses.
It's a phrase that you'll hear a lot.
And and the South is definitely a little bit more relaxed than some other places
in the Northern part of the U.S., as well as just big cities in general.
Having been to Tokyo and Mumbai, it's just a,
it's a more relaxed environment than those major cities.
The South is known for something that we call Southern hospitality.
And essentially, that's a, kind of an extra
level of friendliness or an extra level of kindness.
That's true, people smile at you as you're passing them down
the street corner, even if you have no idea who they are.
They will ask, how are you doing.
They stop to talk to you at the cash
register when you're checking out at the grocery store.
It's just a more polite, friendlier way of life.
And then finally, there's some great food in the South.
The South will fry anything.
In fact, one of my favorite traditions on
the Rhodes campus is Fried Chicken Friday, which means
every Friday, you are guaranteed to have fried chicken
as one of the lunch options in our cafeteria.
But there's some fantastic, what we call home cooking food in the South.
>> We'll be right back to hear more from Lauren Sefton in just a second.
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Posts Tagged ‘American Psycho’
Madman Unleashes Gates of Bullshit
Posted: May 28, 2014 in Joe Giambrone
Tags: agenda, agenda driven, agendas, American Psycho, Elliot Rodger, exploitation, feminist, gay, gun lobby, guns, hetero, hysteria, Isla Vista, mental illness, messages, My Twisted World, narcissism, psychosis, rape
I’ve slogged through so much crap this week as a result of Elliot Rodger’s final act that I think I’ll upset a few and call it for what it is. The rampage has been claimed by women, of course, ranting about rape particularly.
Elliot Rodger didn’t rape anyone. There is no indication that he could even talk to a woman. He saw himself as the opposite of brutal, uncouth rapists, labeling himself repeatedly as the “ultimate gentleman.”
He was next claimed by the religious prophecy crowd, which had no trouble tying him to the gay agenda. Gay marriage and women working outside the home were clearly to blame. That Rodger was an extreme hetero, obsessed with finding a woman to the point of insanity, seems to have been edited out of this week’s sermons.
Of course the anti-gun lobby claimed him immediately, and that was obvious. This brought in the pro-gunners and so that noise blares at the usual cacophony. When white people get shot laws get enacted, and so stay tuned to see where this initiative goes.
Critics of Hollywood were quick to jump on board too. Elliot also played World of Warcraft for 14 hours per day at one point in his life. So anti-Hollywood and anti-video games, check, check.
So it was “rape culture,” Hollywood, video games, the gays, Godlessness, gun laws etc. that created Rodger. Can’t forget the mental health establishment, which failed him with non-prescription therapy. Speculation abounds that he was on anti-depressants, and so that theory spreads widely without evidence. The reporting so far suggests that Rodger refused to take drugs, and he felt he was beyond perfect as-is, as any of his many vlogs will establish.
The extreme right was typing “false flag” the evening of the spree. They discredit themselves.
I’ve seen a lot of prefabricated agenda-driven hype on Elliot Rodger, preformed ideologies that his rampage fit neatly into. The narrative that impresses me the most, the one with the most evidence and substantiation, however, is this one:
Portrait of a Psychopath: UCSB Shooter Elliot Rodger a Child of Hollywood, Privilege, Isolation
Elliot Rodger, if you listen to his words, is the closest thing we’ve had yet to American Psycho.
“I always loved luxury and opulence.”
The virgin spree-shooter, like the others, had a broken spring in his head. His drive for love, superiority, sex and acknowledgment are fairly universal themes though. Elliot was a lonely, shy person who couldn’t relate to others, and he never did figure out how to approach women. He also had a case of extreme narcissism. This victim-complex became more severe over time with each failed attempt at romance. Rodger, an American neo-Caligula, believed himself to be the most deserving of all, and it shocked him to his fibers that he was unwanted and alienated, when in fact he did everything the culture suggested would work out for him. He was a product of magazine advertisements, television and movie iconography, red carpet galas and paparazzi hysteria. He wore the right clothes, drove the right car and he bragged in exasperation that his sunglasses cost $300. So why not the expected rewards of attention, sex and love, his consumerist fairy tale? Movie actors just across the room received all that and more without even trying.
“They’re kissing right now. It’s torture for me to watch, but I have to do this. I have to film this. I have to show the world why life isn’t fair. I have to show everyone why I hate the world, ’cause no girl would do this with me.”
-Elliot Rodger (My reaction to seeing a young couple at the beach, Youtube, May 23, 2014)
Elliot Rodger forces us to consider his case, because we don’t expect him. We assume someone with everything, all the luxuries, the youth, the potential, the connections, will automatically thrive in our society. He was well positioned to follow the yellow brick road into Hollywood, but he had a loose screw. Perhaps a biological problem with his brain, that coupled with his sense of superiority and entitlement made him the perfect psycho killer.
Seven cops descended upon his apartment last month, and yet none bothered to search his bedroom; they were so charmed by this “ultimate gentleman.” The story of which of his videos triggered the police alert and whether the police actually watched it remains fuzzy. Further, the particulars of his admissions at that time, and whether they clearly showed him to be a threat, are hard to piece together. Add to that a number of deleted videos from Youtube, and the picture may be getting fuzzier by the day. ‘What did the police know, and when did they know it,’ is a valid question. ‘Why didn’t they know it’ would be another. Rodger’s own mother had alerted his therapist over disturbing videos he had posted. The therapist eventually contacted police to check on him, but what exactly was said? And what wasn’t?
So love turns to hate, jealousy to rage. It’s a timeless descent, and we’ve seen this show before. Interestingly Rodger accepted a compromise, an escape plan for a while.
“…if I could somehow become a multi-millionaire at a young age, then my life would instantly become better than most people my age…. That was a form of peaceful, happy revenge and it became my only hope.”
His only hope at avoiding the planned “Day of Retribution,” is what he means. Elliot seems to have been America’s son, a true believer ready to kill and die for the Consumerist Dream. He’d accept multi-millions of dollars in lieu of love and sex. That sum was easier dreamed than achieved, it turns out.
“I am not part of the human race. Humanity has rejected me… Magnificent, glorious, supreme, eminent… Divine!” (Manifesto)
Elliot Rodger began by throwing drinks at couples at coffee shops. He progressed to trying to push girls off a ledge at a party, for which he was thrown down himself and then beaten.
“A dark, hate-fueled rage overcame my entire being, and I tried to push as many of them as I could from the 10-foot ledge.”
He purchased a Supersoaker to fill with orange juice in order to attack those he felt were inferior – and that could be pretty much anyone. Perhaps he longed to fill it with his own urine, but his gentlemanly sensibilities prevailed.
“In addition, I had to suffer the shame of other boys respecting me less because I didn’t get any girls. Everyone knew I was a virgin. Everyone knew how vulnerable I was to girls, and I hated everyone just for knowing it.” (Manifesto, Epilogue)
Elliot Rodger stabbed three boys to death prior to his shooting rampage. His hatred of men whom he felt were inferior is similar to his hatred of the beautiful women who had rejected him, “the stupid, degenerate obnoxious men.” Those undeserving inferiors received all the affection in Elliot’s world because women were blind to his magnificence.
“They think like beasts and in turn they are beasts. Women are incapable of having morals or thinking rationally. They are completely controlled by their depraved emotions and vile sexual impulses… The most beautiful of women choose to mate with the most brutal of men, instead of magnificent gentlemen like myself.”
On the day of the rampage that loose screw finally fell right out. Whether any mental health treatment could have affected Elliot Rodger or not, we’ll never know. Whether there was enough evidence to hold him in custody, we can’t be certain. His manifesto, My Twisted World, was emailed out just prior to the spree. It would be read too late to affect the outcome.
Near the end, we find the true depth of Elliot Rodger’s psychosis…
“In order to completely abolish sex, women themselves would have to be abolished. All women must be quarantined like the plague they are, so that they can be used in a manner that actually benefits a civilized society. In order to carry this out there must exist a new and powerful type of government, under the control of one divine ruler, such as myself. The ruler that establishes this new order would have complete control over every aspect of society… The first strike against women will be to quarantine all of them in concentration camps. At these camps, the vast majority of the female population will be deliberately starved to death… I would take great pleasure and satisfaction condemning every single woman on earth to starve to death… It is the only way to purify the world.”
-Elliot Rodger, infamous Isla Vista psycho killer
Am. Psycho The Musical!
Posted: April 23, 2013 in -
Tags: American Psycho, kickstarter, musical, project, Twitter
I shit you not. This just in from the Twittersphere (and Patrick Bateman himself (@APtheMusica): KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN
What did I tell ya about it being a cult classic? It’s all so well timed. It’s like I have assistants or something.
Cult Classic: American Psycho (2000)
Posted: April 22, 2013 in Joe Giambrone
Tags: American Psycho, aristocracy, capitalism, cult classic, Ivy League, plutocracy, psychopathy, sociopathy, wall street
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lRCzIaeJio
American Psycho was such an odd, disturbing black comedy / satire that a lot of people didn’t know what to think about it. Reviews were pretty polarized at the time, and yet the film endures as a kind of popular meme, even parodied recently by Huey Lewis and Weird Al Yankovich.
Lewis’ 80’s pop music is cited in the film itself as an example of what American Psycho Patrick Bateman considers the quintessential music of the 1980s Reagan period. Bateman has a lot of opinions about a lot of things, always trying to find the best of the best, or at least the most expensive, with a quirky Batemanesque appeal.
Case in point, he orders a “real blonde” prostitute from a call girl service. Only, she’s not exactly what he ordered. Things end badly.
The film creates a milieu of Ivy League plutocratic decadence with Wall Street trading types loaded with cash and beyond the touch of what most people call the real world. It’s not about Bateman exclusively, but about a sickening American aristocracy laid bare for one of their own to go off the deep end. I’m not sure if the film succeeds at being coherent or consistent thematically. It is a sort of slasher mind fuck question mark. But damn, it’s difficult to forget.
Romney: American Psycho
Posted: October 14, 2012 in Joe Giambrone
Tags: American Psycho, knife, mitt romney, poster, psychopath, smile
The Esteemed Governor
Posted: September 24, 2012 in Joe Giambrone
Tags: American Psycho, image, mitt romney
Well, you know who Mitt reminds me of???
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re: I'm an Expert in Memory Management & Segfaults, Ask Me Anything! VIEW POST
Eric J. Falgout
C is my favorite language, but I have never worked with it professionally. I've completed "Learn C the Hard Way".
What's another challenging text for a professional developer who is a C dilettante?
Jason C. McDonald Ask Me Anything
I've got a few on my shelf I enjoy in that category:
Game Programming Patterns by Robert Nystrom discusses many patterns, including a number related to dynamic allocation and memory management, from a game development perspective. (Written mainly for C++, although you could take on the challenge of implementing the patterns in C!) Besides that, his comical, bantering style makes for a really fun read.
Hacker's Delight by Henry S. Warren contains a number of mind-bending algorithms that operate in C and Assembly.
Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory explores the myriad of challenges that game engine developers face, especially issues of performance and memory management. Again, this written primary for C++, but you can approach many of the problems from a C perspective as well.
The Art of Computer Programming by Donald Knuth. Okay, I don't own this one, but I really really want a copy! It's quite a challenge to wrap your head around his algorithms and patterns, many of which are fundamental to the field of computer science.
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Justia Patents Bruce Brown Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications
Patents by Inventor Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Side skirt system for a trailer
Abstract: A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer includes a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer along a length of the trailer. A mounting bracket assembly of the system is coupled to the side skirt wall and is configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer. The mounting bracket assembly is configured to tilt laterally outwardly and laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer.
Filed: July 2, 2014
Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
Assignee: Wabash National, L. P.
Inventors: James Bruce Brown, Leonard William Baker
Mobile system for treatment of water by deionization
Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a versatile fluid treatment system which includes: a mobile device; a track system connected to the mobile device; one or more treatment vessels removably attached to the track system, each treatment vessel comprising a treatment material disposed inside the treatment vessel, at least one fluid inlet, and at least one fluid outlet; an input conduit that receives a fluid to be treated, the input conduit in fluid communication with the fluid inlet on the treatment vessel; and an output conduit in fluid communication with the fluid outlet on the treatment vessel, the output conduit receives treated fluid from the treatment vessels via the fluid outlet.
Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
Assignee: Infilco Degremont, Inc.
Inventors: Richard Oberholtzer, Bruce Brown, Tim Anderson, Daron Johnson
Medical Garment and Method
Abstract: A medical garment is provided for use with children patients during and following intravenous medical therapies and method for using the same. The garment includes fabric fitted for the upper torso of a patient with an easily detachable flap exposing an access opening located over the chest area to allow care providers with easy access to medical ports implanted in the patient's chest where most such ports are located for pediatric patients. An storage pocket is positioned inside and adjacent to the opening for easy, safe and discreet storage of tubing and small medical devices. The exterior surfaces of the flap and/or interior surfaces of the pocket may include ornamentation and/or design elements appropriate for children's clothing. The garment is designed to look like a regular piece of children's clothing which is comfortable for children to wear and which helps restore a feeling of normalcy to a child patient.
Inventors: Maria Hudak, Bruce Brown
Assignee: Wabash National, L.P.
Applicant: Wabash National, L.P.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WATER AND WASTEWATER
Applicant: INFILCO DEGREMONT, INC.
Dry powder medicament formulations
Abstract: A dry powder pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a medicament particle fraction comprising medicament particles with an aerodynamic diameter no greater than 10 ?m; and (ii) at least 50% of a non-respirable excipient fraction comprising low density excipient particles with an aerodynamic diameter greater than 10 ?m and a geometric diameter greater than 30 ?m. In additional embodiments of the invention, the pharmaceutical composition includes a respirable excipient fraction comprising excipient particles with an aerodynamic diameter no greater than 10 ?m. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the non-respirable excipient particles include pores adapted to receive a portion of the respirable excipient fraction and/or the medicament fraction.
Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited
Inventors: Andrew Bruce Brown, Michael Mary Van Oort
Diving rattle lure
Abstract: A fishing lure for producing a desired sound as the lure sinks in a fluid has a proximal end and a distal end, a first side wall and a second side wall between the proximal end and the distal end, and an upper surface and a lower surface between the proximal end and the distal end. A central chamber is positioned in the body between the lower surface and the upper surface and intermediate the front end and the rear end of the body. A rib is positioned in the central chamber proximate the lower surface. An upper weight and a lower weight are housed in the central chamber, with the lower weight detachably lodged proximate the rib in the central chamber. The upper weight pivots about the lower central weight as the lure sinks in the fluid to generate the desired sound vibrations.
Assignee: EBSCO Industries, Inc.
Inventor: Bruce Brown
Publication date: August 9, 2012
Fishing lure having a controlled rattle
Abstract: A fishing lure includes a rattle that is adjustable between a rattling mode and a muted mode. The fishing lure includes a body having an outer surface and an inner surface. Inside the body is a rattle chamber and a muted chamber, with a channel connecting the rattle chamber with the muted chamber. The rattle is moveable between the muted chamber and the rattle chamber to determine when rattling is available and when the rattle is muted.
Inventors: Harold Jensen, Bruce Brown
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTING MEDIA CONTENT OBTAINED FROM MULTPLE SOURCES
Abstract: Methods, systems and devices present information on a display in response to a user input received from an input device. One or more options are presented in a first portion of a user interface on the display, and a first user input indicating one of the options is received. In response to the first user input, a sub-menu of options associated with the indicated one of the first list of options is presented in a second portion of the user interface. In response to a second user input selecting the indicated one of the options, the sub-menu of options is presented in the first portion of the user interface. The various methods, systems and devices may be implemented in a media catcher system that selects and presents media content from one or more different sources.
Applicant: SLING MEDIA INC.
Inventors: Andrew E. Einaudi, Robert Bruce Brown
Triazine compounds, polymers comprising triazine structural units, and method
Abstract: In various embodiments the present invention comprises 2,4,6-trisubstituted-1,3,5-triazine capping agents comprising one, two, or three leaving groups as substituents with any remaining substituents being essentially inert to reaction with a nucleophilic group on a polymer or monomer, or reactive with a nucleophilic group on a polymer or monomer at a slower rate than any leaving group. The invention also comprises polymers or monomers with nucleophilic groups capped with a triazine moiety. Still other embodiments of the invention comprise processes for capping nucleophilic groups in a polymer or monomer which comprises combining and reacting the polymer or monomer with a triazine-comprising capping agent.
Assignee: SABIC Innovative Platics IP B.V.
Inventors: Sterling Bruce Brown, Hans-Peter Brack, James Anthony Cella, Dennis Karlik
POST-SURGICAL GARMENT
Abstract: A garment worn to assist in the relief of discomfort and provide support to a surgical patient is provided. The garment includes a body having a front side and a rear side. The front side has a front surface, a rear surface and a top edge. A pouch is secured to the front surface and is capable of accommodating and securing an ice pack therein. A compartment is secured directly to the rear surface of the front side and is capable of supporting a scrotum of the patient. The compartment is provided a predetermined distance below the top edge of the front side. The compartment has an opening along a top edge to allow entry of the scrotum of the patient therein.
Inventors: BRUCE BROWN, RON ZITTLER
Assignee: General Electric Company
Inventors: Sterling Bruce Brown, Hans Peter Brack, James Anthony Cella, Dennis Karlik
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Justia Patents Joseph H. Boyer Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications
Patents by Inventor Joseph H. Boyer
Joseph H. Boyer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Pill counting and dispensing apparatus with self-calibrating dispenser
Abstract: A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A transport tube receives pills from the hopper. The transport tube has a controllable aperture for facilitating or inhibiting delivery of pills to the transport tube. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the transport tube, and the input aperture. Optionally, a feed chute can be operatively connected between the hopper and the transport tube. The system can self-calibrate the mechanism for counting and dispensing pills by dynamically adjusting the input aperture based upon the stored information representative of the pulse width signal and the amplitude signal.
Assignee: Innovation Associates, Inc.
Inventors: Prashanth Balasubramanian, Joseph H. Boyer, James Boyer, Mark Jones, Christopher Mayes, George Plesko, Edwin T. V. Quigley, Joseph Scott, Joseph Sienko, James Worthington, Alban Yee
Apparatus for counting and dispensing pills using pill volume calculations
Abstract: A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A feed chute having a detector mechanism is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the feed chute, and the detector mechanism. The microcontroller calculates the volume of each of the pills transiting the detector mechanism based on occluded electromagnetic signals detected by the detector mechanism and the time of transit of each pill relative thereto.
Aperture position control for pill counting and dispensing apparatus
Abstract: A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A transport tube is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom, the transport tube having an input aperture. A microcontroller is electrically connected to the hopper, the transport tube, and the input aperture. A mechanism accepts a desired number of pills to be delivered by the transport tube by an operator. The microcontroller is adapted to determine whether the actual average number of pills delivered by the transport tube is equal to the desired number of pills specified by the operator. If the actual average number of pills is greater than the desired number, the microcontroller decreases the opening of the input aperture. A mechanism connected to the inlet aperture controls opening and closing operations thereof, pursuant to instructions transmitted by the microcontroller.
Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
Apparatus for counting and dispensing pills with a vibrating plate
Abstract: A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A feed chute having a transport spiral therein is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. The transport spiral has an outlet and controllable aperture. A vibrating plate is disposed proximate the outlet. A drive mechanism is connected to the vibrating plate for imparting vibration thereto. The drive mechanism can abruptly stop the vibration of the vibrating plate. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the transport spiral, and the drive mechanism. The system can self-calibrate the mechanism for counting and dispensing pills.
Apparatus for counting and dispensing pills using multi-staged pill singulation
Abstract: A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A feed chute is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. The feed chute has an outlet and controllable aperture. A vibrating plate is disposed proximate the outlet. A drive mechanism is connected to the vibrating plate for imparting vibration thereto. The drive mechanism has a mechanism for abruptly stopping the vibration of the vibrating plate. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the feed chute, and the drive mechanism.
Low profile color-based counting system
Abstract: A low profile, color-based counting system. A housing has a light source, such as a matrix of LEDs, preferably disposed in the housing for generating electromagnetic radiation upwardly. A removable, translucent tray is disposed above the light source. A second light source can be added above the tray, directing light downwardly thereto. A color camera is mounted on the housing and above the removable translucent tray.
Inventors: Mary Reno, Doyle M. Jensen, Joseph H. Boyer, William Bennett, James G. McGonigal, Mark D. Jones, Todd E. Bower, Alecia K. Lashier, Fletcher Chapin, Jr., Yan L. Liang, John P. Boyer
Robotic arm and method for using with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser
Abstract: There is provided an automated prescription filling system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser having a plurality of individual pill-counting units, each under the control of its own microprocessor. The automatic pharmaceutical dispensers are modified for use with the robotic arm. Because tablet counting is completely independent of the robotic arm, system throughput is higher than in systems of the prior art. Unlike systems of the prior art, each individual pill-counting unit can be removed from behind the pharmaceutical dispenser so that the system need not be stopped for such service. The fact that counting operations are divorced from robotic arm movements allows the arm movements to be optimized and multiple prescriptions to be processed simultaneously. Controller software optimizes movement of the robotic arm based upon such factors as the fullness of the vial being transported.
Filed: January 5, 2006
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, James G. McGonigal, Bruce Edward Holtje, Timothy William Limer, James Patrick Boyer, Mark Andrew Fisher, Todd Edward Bower, Michael J. Hostetler
Pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device
Abstract: A medicating device for a hospital or nursing home that provides the correct medication for each individual occupant of a portion of the institution, at the right time of the day. The medicating device includes a control computer that sends instructions to a dispensing device. The dispensing device is then caused to discharge a particular tablet stored therein. The device contains a series of parallel, annular, arcuately shaped plates that are stacked closely together. Resting on each plate are multiple curved tablet trays that are arcuately disposed thereupon. Each tray contains a number of tablets or capsules disposed within individual cells of the arcuate plate. The plates are rotated under the control of the computer by a motor drive. A retrieval mechanism then rises or descends to address one of the plates.
Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, William S. Bennett
Tablet monitoring system
Abstract: A monitoring system for adjusting a light source for a counting cell signal in a counting and dispensing system, which light deteriorates over time as a result of dust accumulation from the handling of pills, capsules, and tablets. The monitoring system uses electronics to adjust the light relative to the dust accumulation, thus maintaining an accurate counting cell signal, so that the system can continue to function. In this respect, the monitoring system provides for longer intervals between required maintenance operations, and therefore reduces the cost of operation.
Inventors: James Worthington, James Boyer, Joseph H. Boyer
Automated pharmacy
Abstract: A method and an automated pharmacy system to alleviate the risk posed by a queue of printed labels for prescription vials that occurs at the printer. The method and system eliminate the need for physically transferring paperwork from one site (the imaging station) to another site (the filling station). Elimination of the physical transferring step smooths the flow of the dispensing operation, and hence, improves the throughput of the automated pharmacy, and further, helps to prevent the association of the wrong paperwork with a given prescription.
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, James P. Boyer, William S. Bennett
Pharmaceutical dispensing system
Abstract: The present invention features a pharmaceutical dispensing system including a plurality of standardized or universal-type cells disposed in a large array called a module. One or more modules may be disposed in a given pharmacy, and one or more pharmacies may be monitored by a central computer. The system for filling prescriptions includes a graphical interface processing system for monitoring operations of each cell, wherever located, and for sequentially and interactively prompting an operator to perform appropriate; predetermined steps. The system for filling prescriptions sequentially prompts a technician or operator to perform predetermined steps, dependent upon verification of the completion of a prior or previously completed step in the sequence. In a semi-automatic mode, the pharmacist is directed, by suitable prompts on the computer display screen, as to the necessary steps and locations in filling each prescription.
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, James P. Boyer
Device that counts and dispenses pills
Abstract: The present invention features a pill-dispensing system which has a number of standardized, or universal-type, modules. Each module has a rotating, helix-drive mechanism, which is rotationally controlled by a microprocessor. The helical-drive mechanism features several improvements, both in the drive mechanism and in the software control of the rotational drive system by the microprocessor that allows for the dispensing of pills of all shapes and sizes one at a time. The helix of the drive is securely mounted within a rotatable, hollow tube. A stationary collar is mounted adjacent the upper end of the rotating tube. The rotating helix extends into the stationary collar and forces pills from the hollow tube to the dispensing edge of the stationary collar. A hopper positioned at the input end, or mouth of the tube, feeds a batch quantity of pills to the drive mechanism. The tube is angled upwardly from the mouth portion, so that the pill-dispensing end is positioned above the input end.
Filed: December 2, 1996
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, James P. Boyer, Henry Gerlitz
Method for counting and dispensing tablets, capsules, and pills
Abstract: There is provided a method for counting and dispensing pills, tablets, and capsules which depends on a simple vibrating, sloped, concave-shaped (e.g., V-shaped) trough, having a number of descending steps. The vibration of the trough is controlled and adjusted by a microprocessor. The vibration of the trough is patterned to provide a greater vibratory amplitude at its dispensing end than at its intake end. The difference at each end of the trough in vibratory amplitude is achieved by elastomeric supports that are differently spring dampened. The microprocessor electronically adjusts the input vibration to the trough, such that the flow of materials is adjusted for different types of materials (i.e., tablets of different shapes and/or sizes). This causes the tablets to align accurately within the trough, and sequentially pass a pill detector mechanism in single file. This ensures that the device can handle an extremely varied range of tablet or capsule sizes and shapes.
System for pill and capsule counting and dispensing
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, James P. Boyer, John Pellegrini
Boron difluoride compounds useful in photodynamic therapy and production of laser light
Abstract: A new group of fluorescent organic compounds having a variety of uses are described. They are especially useful as dye compounds in dye laser systems, and as photochemical agents in the treatment of diseased tissues using photodynamic therapy techniques. The compounds include a tri-cyclic compound having the following structure: ##STR1## Preferably R.sub.1 -R.sub.5 .dbd.R.sub.9 -R.sub.12 .dbd.C; R.sub.7 .dbd.B; R.sub.6 and R.sub.8 .dbd.N; R.sub.14 .dbd.lower n-alkyl or an electron withdrawing group such as CN.sup.- ; R.sub.16 and R.sub.19 are independently selected from the group consisting of lower n-alkyl, a sulfate or an acid or salt thereof, or hydrogen; and R.sub.20 .dbd.R.sub.21 .dbd.F.
Inventors: Lee R. Morgan, Joseph H. Boyer
Indacene compounds and methods for using the same
Abstract: A new group of fluorescent organic materials having a variety of uses are described. They are especially useful as dye compounds in dye laser systems, and as photochemical agents in the treatment of sensitive diseased tissues using photodynamic therapy techniques.
Assignee: Bo-Dekk Ventures, Ltd.
Inventors: Joseph H. Boyer, Lee R. Morgan
Lasing compositions and methods for using the same
Abstract: A new group of fluorescent organic materials having a variety of uses are described. They are especially useful as dye compounds in dye laser systems, and as photochemical agents in the treatment of diseased tissues using photodynamic therapy techniques. The materials involve a tri-cyclic compound having the following structure: ##STR1## In this structure, R.sub.1 -R.sub.21 represent a variety of organic and inorganic groups.
Laser dyes derived from bimanes
Abstract: A new class of laser dyes has a lasing compound syn (R.sub.1, R.sub.2) bismanes that shows efficient laser action under flashlamp excitation. In the laser action spectral region there is little or no triplet-triplet absorption so that laser efficiencies in the range of 1 to 3 percent can be provided. Good solubility in many solvents (especially water) good photochemical stability and simplicity of preparation are inherent in this new lasing media.
Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
Inventors: Theodore G. Pavlopoulos, Joseph H. Boyer
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Justia Patents Reservation, Check-in, Or Booking Display For Reserved SpaceUS Patent for Automatic theater ticket concierge Patent (Patent # 5,797,126)
Automatic theater ticket concierge
A theater-ticket concierge system in which individual kiosks are in wireless communication with a central station so that, based upon programming from the central station, the individual events of interest can be selected by a patron who can view an excerpt or scene and, upon indicating interest, can then view available seating on a seating plan or the like. By selecting an available seat from the seating plan, the patron can be provided with a display of the stage or performance from that seat and, once seat selection is confirmed, the kiosk can, by communication with the central station, charge the patron's credit card and issue an information carrier in the form of a ticket to the event or a coupon which can be redeemed for such ticket.
The present invention relates to an automated theater ticket vending "concierge" or "kiosk" and event information and ticket sales system capable of providing related services superior to those of an experienced human concierge, and without the need for voice contact or person-to-person communication in any form, and, more particularly, to a method of correlating the purchase of tickets for reserved seating events to the quality of seating choices and the availability of said choices at any specific moment of desired purchase.
The invention, further, relates to an apparatus for that purpose comprising free-standing kiosks which can be remote from all represented theaters or event locations and remote from a central station correlating such sales to a continuously updated database of seating availability.
The invention also relates, in particular, to a method of and an apparatus for the sale or dispensing of tickets to particular events with reserved or assigned seating in connection with the display of segments of these productions or events, background information about the productions or events, display of actual stage or field views from seat locations prospectively selected for purchase, and display of theater or event location environs, exterior, interior, and points of architectural or historical interest amounting to a virtual theater tour accessed and controlled by a prospective ticket purchaser via an interactive human interface.
In copending application Ser. Nos. 08/234,409 filed 28 Apr., 1994 and 08/215,372 filed 21 Mar., 1994 of Edward Helbling one of the present inventors, there have been described charitable contribution centralization systems in which, among other things, charitable collections can be made at kiosks which are remote from a central station and which can serve to issue information carriers representing a selected charity, a contribution made and other information such as, for example, a premium, award or reward to which the contributor or donor is entitled.
Key to the systems of the earlier applications are units which can be located at any selected situs to make the possibility of a charitable donation independent from any specific situs of the charity. Kiosks of that type can be provided in retail establishments, at financial institutions, shopping malls or other public places, and even at railroad stations, bus stops, parking lots and the like.
One of the draws for the use of such machines for making charitable contributions is the possibility that the donor can select some premium or reward which can be redeemed either at that location or at a ticket-sales or reward location which can be elsewhere than the situs of the kiosk. Vendors may contribute goods or services which are thus made available to charitable contributors and enable the vendor to engage in the public service as well.
In the system of Ser. No. 08/234,409, in particular, the central station could program the individual kiosks to indicate what premiums or rewards could be available for selection, the charities and/or vendors which are cooperating in the charitable program, etc.
The individual kiosks thus had displays, selector means for allowing selection of the charity to which a contribution was to be made, printer means or the like for issuing the information carrier, means for communication with the central station and, of course, means for collecting a payment.
There is also a need, in modern society, for access to events which require reserved seating and for that purpose centralized organizations have developed for event ticket sales, allowing the use of credit cards and even telephone ordering. Theater tickets can be obtained by telephone from such centralized operations, by providing a charge card number, advising the personnel of the event selected and even indicating the regions of the theater in which the seats should be located.
If those seats are available for that event, tickets may be set aside for the purchaser to be picked up at the box office.
While such telephone ticketing systems have greatly facilitated access to the theater, the degree of interaction allowed in this process is limited and the problems arising from the physical separation between the theater and the ultimate patron are not addressed. Furthermore, these systems are incapable of providing the security of immediate hard-copy confirmation of ticket purchases made.
Currently available ticket purchase systems, including even box office purchases in most aspects, do not allow a prospective purchaser to review, compare or otherwise make informed choices from among the many productions or events for which seats are available in any given time frame; nor can they provide information necessary to evaluate the suitability of specific theater environs, architecture, amenities, seating arrangements and access for the tastes, comfort and safety of an individual or group desiring to choose among many available venues for possible ticket purchases.
Furthermore, all current ticket purchase systems and means rely on the ticket purchaser's previous knowledge or already established interest in a particular production and/or production venue. Inasmuch as a free-standing, remote kiosk system can provide free access, without encumbent or implied pressure to purchase, to virtually all information required to review and select from among many available productions and venues, a system of this type can operate effectively independent from any advertising or publicity means or prior information including even word-of-mouth. This can be particularly important from the sale of tickets to productions in non-profit venues that currently suffer lack of attendance for lack of promotional funds and opportunities.
Indeed, the currently unaddressed physical separation between potential patrons and theaters, and the dearth of easily accessible information about available productions and production venues has limited the interaction between patrons and theaters, and, as a consequence, is a barrier which has limited the degree to which the public participates in modern theater productions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,252, for example, interactive commercial/entertainment systems are described which enable patrons in the theaters to communicate with persons at a broadcast center, thereby making events like attendance at the theater more interactive. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,438, a ticket-vending system is described in which sales of tickets can be charted on a seating layout. Indeed U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,257 even allows a view from a seat to be displayed. A ticket-issuing machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,841, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,024 improves versatility in programming. These systems do not, however, make tickets to theater productions or other events more readily available, or provide information necessary to make informed choices from among many available productions and production venues.
It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved system for sale of tickets to events, especially theater tickets and tickets to other events having reserved seating, whereby limitations and drawbacks of earlier systems can be eliminated or avoided.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of correlating theater ticket purchases to the quality of seating choices and the availability of said choices at any specific moment of desired purchase which will more readily satisfy the purchasing public than earlier methods.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for sale of tickets which facilitates selection among events or productions, production venues and seating arrangements.
Another object of the invention is to create a system which stimulates greater public interest in live theater production and production venues by providing easy and widely available access to information much of which is currently available only through personal experience or prohibitively time consuming research with the goal of increasing the attendance of potential patrons at such productions.
Still another object of the invention is to make ticket selections and purchases possible without dependence on the availability of voice contact, without the implied pressure to purchase which is inherent in person-to-person communications, and with significantly reduced possibility of errors or misunderstandings which result from the intrinsic limitations of voice-only contact.
It is a specific object to provide a system which can satisfy increasing numbers of potential patrons who desire up-to-date and practically immediate access to ticket purchases based on spur of the moment availability of free time or previously unanticipated future free time, rather than on a planned social schedule or on desire to see a specific production in which interest was stimulated prior to the time of ticket purchase.
These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention, by providing a multiplicity of ticket sales kiosks, each of which functions, relative to theater productions and other reserved seating events, as a "virtual concierge" and locating them at diverse sites remote from production or event locations and from a central station but providing each of these kiosks with means for displaying events so that an event can be selected, with means for displaying one or more scenes from the event so that a potential purchaser can be informed as to what that event offers, means for displaying seating possibilities and actual views from selected seating possibilities, thereby enabling the potential purchaser to appreciate the potential view of the live performance from the particular seat, means for payment by a selector and, of course, means for payment by a selector and, of course, means for generating an information carrier which may be the actual ticket or tickets or some indication that the purchaser is entitled to the ticket or tickets upon redemption of that information carrier at the box office or the like.
Unlike other systems which may use computer-aided illustration of seating plans, views of the stage from hypothetical seats or the like, the system of the invention assembles the displayed views of the seat and from the seat from live video which is coded, digitized and accessed by the program that allows the potential patron to wander virtually at will through the theater of interest, taking in all points of interest. These can include the area/street location, marquis, box office, lobby of a theater of interest, as well as the lounges, access to and egress from seating and amenities, and locations of historical or architectural points of interest. These are in addition to the stored video displays of the seating area, seating layout, stage and stage views from the particular seat. In the case of stadium venues, these views can include some of the views described above and playing field or court views from the particular seats.
The video displays can provide virtual access to places which are normally privileged, for example, the backstage, dressing rooms, locker rooms, training rooms, team offices or the like.
According to an important feature of the invention, the display screen of the kiosk will, in the absence of human intervention or selection of a specific item of patron interest have a continuous display of video representing segments of a performance or event, views of various production or event venues including theater marquis and interiors, theater districts, stadium views and views of artists or players so as to capture the attention of the casual viewer and in effect induce even the casual viewer to become a potential patron by enabling the viewer to involve himself or herself in a particular production by selection utilizing the touch screen or a button system. Note that we have referred to "buttons" to indicate a selection or command key operation. it will be understood that any selection or command can operate with touch screens or any other convenient selection information. Current path windows can be displayed so that they do not obscure access to other immediately associated windows. Video windows enlarge and start audio when touched, but automatically go back to path size when any particular sequence ends.
An important aspect of the invention is the fact that the kiosks are remote both from any particular production or event location and from the central station, and by and large are independent of one another, and yet enable the interactive relationship between the kiosk and the potential purchaser whereby scenes from the production or other event are displayed for the theater of a particular event and available and occupied seats for particular dates and times are provided on the display. The purchaser can then identify seats of interest and the display can show the seat in its relationship to other seats and a view on the stage or from such selected seats. The patron can then scan the seating plan and make quality comparisons among the various available seats.
When a specific seat purchase selection is indicated, and following authorization of the charge by the credit issuing company, communication with the central station and the production or event location back office confirms the instantaneous, real-time availability of the selected seat or seats, and updates central station and appropriate back office databases to insure that purchased seats are indeed reserved. The kiosk can then issue an information carrier or coupon entitling the bearer to the tickets for the selected seat or seats.
An important aspect of the kiosk system is its means for broadcasting or multi-casting updated seating availability and other production information that is subject to change to all kiosks whether or not connected by telephone line, cable or other hardwire means so that all kiosks provide identical and accurate access to the most current required information.
The kiosk system of the invention provides at one location multi-facility and multi-event selection capabilities and, through its central station, multi-facility, multi-event tracking and control of setting availability, reservation and confirmation. The information carrier that is generated can be a coded, serialized, counterfeit-resistant coupon that provides hard copy confirmation of a user's selection and that can be redeemed for actual tickets at the show or event facility box office or can be used directly as an admission coupon.
Another important feature of the virtual concierge of the invention is its ability to show digital full-motion video and true audio previews and excerpts of a multiplicity of productions or other events. These may be continuously displayed along with vignettes of location tours and other related displays in an "attract" mode. At any time an interested user can interrupt this sequence and use on-screen buttons to access a number of specialized features, each of which provides virtually instantly current information because of the communication between the central station and all kiosks.
To access these features the user simply touches a desired function or feature "button" which instantly accesses the listings. The user can then review information on as many listings as desired by touching the screen to highlight the desired listing item and then touching the button for desired information or audio/video display. The screen or button system provides page down and page up functions and function buttons with corresponding displays to guide the user to available features.
While the system can utilize the computerized illustration of U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,257, we prefer to utilize video views which have been assembled from live video, coded, digitized and accessed through the central station or from memory at the individual kiosk. Preferably the system will utilize feature buttons on the screen or on a button panel once the potential patron has been attracted to the kiosk by the displays in the "attract" mode.
Specifically, the method of the invention can comprise the steps of:
(a) communicating to a multiplicity of ticket-sales kiosks information as to events, times and seating availability at a plurality of performance locations;
(b) displaying information as to events at the ticket-sales kiosks;
(c) in response to selection of a particular event at one of the kiosks by a potential patron, displaying at least one scene exemplary of the particular event;
(d) displaying at the one of the kiosks for the particular event at the respective performance location a respective seating plan indicating available seats;
(e) in response to selection of a potentially available seat at the one of the kiosks by the potential patron, displaying a view representing a view from the selected potentially available seat;
(f) charging a credit card presented by the patron for a selected seat;
(g) issuing to the patron at the one of the kiosks an information carrier representing both a receipt for the charge made and a confirmation of the reserved seating selection, and which authorizes the bearer to issue of tickets at the box office or which can be used directly for admissions at the particular event; and
(h) in response to investigation by a prospective purchaser through the use of on-screen function and feature buttons, and other interactive mean such as directional controllers, displaying a virtual tour with specific text, video and audio information relating to any particular production venue allowing such a purchaser to evaluate and compare available venues relative to access, egress, comfort, safety and other personal concerns and suitability issues not directly related to the production performance itself, and thereby further aiding in the selection process and facilitating purchase which can then be accomplished in the manner described above.
Preferably information as to events and times for which seating is available at a plurality of performance locations is communicated to the kiosks from a central station in communication with the production or event locations, and a display at the one of the kiosks for the particular event at the respective performance location of the respective seating plan indicating available seats is effected by dialog between the central station and the one of the kiosks.
The display of a view from a production location seat prospectively selected for purchase is preferably effected by accessing digitized video stored in various media formats and files in each of the one of the kiosks and therein maintained until such time as the production or event at the respective location is changed.
The issuing to the patron at the one of the kiosks of the information carrier representing a receipt for a charge made and a confirmed seat selection, authorizing admission of a bearer of the information carrier to the particular event is effected by dialog between the central station and the one of the kiosks.
Most advantageously, the selection is effected by the use of the touch-screen capabilities of the display.
The apparatus according to the invention can comprise:
a central station accumulating information as to events occurring at a multiplicity of performance locations, available seating at the events and times of the events;
a plurality of vending kiosks remote from the central station;
means for communicating to a multiplicity of the vending kiosks information as to events and times for which seating is available at a plurality of performance locations;
means at each of the vending kiosks for displaying information as to the events;
means operable in response to selection of a particular event at one of the kiosks by a potential patron, for displaying at least one scene exemplary of the particular event;
means at the one of the kiosks for displaying for the particular event at the respective performance location a respective seating plan indicating available seats;
means operable in response to selection and control of specific kiosk functions by a potential patron for displaying an interactive virtual theater tour providing detailed textual, audio and graphic information, and full-motion video relating to any particular production venue;
means in response to selection of a potentially available seat at the one of the kiosks by the potential patron, for displaying a view from the selected potentially available seat;
means at the one of the kiosks for charging a credit card presented by the patron for a selected seat; and
means at the one of the kiosks for issuing to the patron at the one of the kiosks an information carrier representing a receipt for a charge made and a confirmed reserved seating selection, and either constituting an actual ticket or authorizing direct admission of a bearer upon presentation of the information carrier at the particular event location.
The communication link between each vending kiosk and the central station is preferably a wireless link but the communication link may, if desired, use a telephone wire or cable link.
Most advantageously, wireless communication is accomplished via Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) transmission and reception.
The kiosk may also have standard Circuit Switched Cellular capability for the convenience of patrons who desire to contact other members of a potential theater-going party to notify or ask their opinion about a particular selection. In this case, service carrier charges would be added to the patron's previously authorized credit card.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating steps in the process;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one of the kiosks of the system of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4 is an algorithm diagram of the system of the invention.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
As can be seen from FIG. 1, the basic elements in the concierge system of the invention comprise a central station 10 which can communicate, preferably by CDPD wireless means although possibly also by telephone lines or wired communication means with a plurality of theaters or other event-generating facilities such as a sport's stadium as represented at 11 and 12, respectively. The communication paths between the central station and the theater 11 or the stadium 12 are bidirectional and represented at 13 and 13, respectively.
The central station 10 also communicates (via CDPD) with one or more ticket sales kiosks represented at 15, 16 and 17, as shown at 18, or via telephone or optical links as shown at 19 and 20, respectively.
The function of the central station as has been described, is to update media files and databases at the ticket sales kiosks 15, 16 and 17 as to current and future events, i.e. the particular programs or plays which are to be shown and the dates and times of the showings, and details as to the events, and current seating availability. The individual kiosks have various media storage capacity sufficient to accommodate graphic displays of scenes from the various events if desired or such scenes can be stored at the central station and called up by each individual kiosk as noted.
Furthermore, the central station is in communication with the theaters, the stadium or other performance locations so as to be continuously up-dated as to available seating and may provide the views from the particular seats selected at the kiosks or may program the individual kiosks with respect to such views. The central station is also in communication with a charge center as represented at 21 via the communication link 22 to obtain clearance for a credit card charge and any authorization which might be required to accept a credit card introduced into one of the ticket-vending kiosks.
As can be seen from FIG. 2, in operation, the central station can be provided, as represented at 30, to transmit current selections to the remote kiosks which at 31 can display current selections as to potential events, including excerpts or scenes at the individual kiosks, under patron control or automatically as a promotional display.
The patron can then provide on-screen selection at 32 of a particular event or theater, thereby initiating dialogue with the central station as represented at 33 for display at the kiosk of available seats 34, coupled with provisional selection of a seat and display of the seat environment and the view from that seat as indicated at 35. This process may be repeated as represented at 36 with selection of alternative seating possibilities 37 until the patron makes a final seat selection at 38. This seat selection is communicated to the central station at 39 and a charge is made to a credit or debit card at 40 which has been inserted into the kiosk. When the charge is verified through the central station as represented at 41, a slip 42 which is redeemable for tickets at the box office, or tickets themselves are produced as information carriers.
From FIG. 3 it will be apparent that each of the kiosks can comprise a housing 50 with a video-type or CCD screen 51 forming the display. Preferably a touch-screen display is used so that the screen functions for selection of the various goods of the kiosk, for selection of the events, for seat selection and for signalling the apparatus that seat selection has concluded and the patron is awaiting charging and verification. The kiosk can, if desired, be provided with a keyboard 52 and a numerical key-pad 53 to assist in selection and/or inputting data such as a theater name, a particular date and time for which the patron has expressed interest as to future events, etc. The display 51, the keyboard 52 and the key pad 53 are all connected to the computer or central processing unit 54 in the kiosk housing.
The kiosk can also have a joystick 60 connected to the computer 54 and serving to enable the patron to engage in a virtual tour of any selected facility, its environs, and the interior of the facility as displayed upon the screen 51 accompanied by any audio which may be desirable or of interest.
The computer has a memory 55 and is linked by a wireless communication unit 56 with the antenna 57 or to a modem for telephone line communication with the central station, not here shown. Essential to the kiosk shown in FIG. 3 is a credit-card reader 57 into which the patron can insert a credit card and which can read that credit card and notify the central station through the kiosk computer of the credit card information for verification and charging. Also essential is a ticket or information carrier printer 58 also connected to the computer 54 and capable of printing the tickets themselves or, if desired, a coupon or slip entitled the patron to redeem that coupon for the requisite number of tickets at the box office. Of course, the information on the information carrier can include a receipt for the funds charged, the identification of the theater and its location, information as to the event, time and place, and even the seat numbers and locations if desired. Indeed, the seating information to be printed out can include a map or seating plan showing the patron the selected seat.
Optional is a currency input unit 59 which can receive currency, verify the validity thereof and store the currency for collection at a later date. The currency unit 59 is likewise connected to the computer 50.
The computer 54 or the central station computer can be programmed with a system for automatically displaying selected views of the facility from selected seating areas or individual seats.
The button system (FIG. 4), whether onscreen or via separate control and function buttons include the following, the button name being underscored:
Show/Event/Game/Performance Listing
Accesses and displays listing of all covered shows/events and brings up function buttons below. Any desired show/event can be highlighted by touching its screen position. When a show event is highlighted, the buttons below may be activated by subsequent touch.
Preview on demand
Accesses and displays a digital full-motion video and actual sound preview/vignette of highlighted show/event.
Dates and times
Accesses and displays date and time listings for highlighted show/event. Touching to highlight a specific date and time allows activation of the "seating availability" function immediately below.
Seating availability
Touching this button accesses the most recent update of seating availability data for highlighted show/event. Central station will use a sales time/volume algorithm to determine frequency of updates from central station to all remote locations that are in addition to updates received by individual units each time the "purchase tickets" function is activated. This approximate seating availability is displayed via a seating layout chart which shows prices and/or actual video of seating layout. Any desired seat can be highlighted by touching the screen. This allows activation of "seat view" button. On-screen message advises user that "purchase tickets" functions must be activated to see up-to-the-second seating availability.
Seat view
Opens a window showing the highlighted seat's view from the virtual tour program.
Show/event history
If applicable, this function accesses and displays an audio/video and/or text and photo history of the highlighted show/event. This might include information about the author, composer, choreographer, producer, director, stars, performers, teams, players, etc., depending on the show/event.
Show/event facility
Accesses and displays main view of highlighted show/event facility with address and any other key text information. When this function is activated, the related function buttons below are displayed and accessible.
Facility virtual tour
This accesses the virtual tour program which, through use of a joy-stick controller or on-screen directional control icons, allows user to visually walk into the highlighted theater, stadium or other facility and go on a self-guided tour with the help of appropriate over-view "maps".
Facility history
Accesses and displays an audio/video and/or text and photo history of the highlighted facility.
Theater/Stadium/Facility Listing
Accesses and displays listing of all covered show/event facilities and brings up function buttons below. Any desired facility can be highlighted by touching its screen position. When a facility is highlighted, the buttons below may be activated by subsequent touch.
Credit card must be swiped or otherwise entered to activate this function. This is unavoidably required to allow sufficient time to check card acceptability and to access central station for continuous updating of seating availability while this function is operating. Final step of "purchase highlighted seats" will not be allowed until credit card is approved for an approximate appropriate amount. Actual amount will be approved prior to printing of coupon. If a credit card is denied, the purchase tickets function will immediately stop, a discrete message will be displayed and system will return to attract mode.
Touching and activating the purchase tickets function accesses and displays the show/event/game/performance listing.
Touching screen to highlight any desired show/event displays the dates and times listing for that specific show/event.
Touching screen to highlight a specific date and time accesses the current seating availability data and displays same via a seating layout chart which shows prices and/or actual video view of seating layout.
Touching to highlight a desired available seat allows either of the two buttons below to be touch activated. If all highlighted seats are not still available at moment of "purchase seats" touch, available seats are re-displayed and user is prompted to select alternates.
Purchase highlighted seats
If all highlighted seats are available, system immediately blocks out highlighted seats at central station and confirms to purchaser that seats have been reserved. Final credit card amount is checked for approval if more than initial approval amount. The ticket redemption coupon is then printed.
When the wireless communication unit 56 is a cellular telephone system, a handset 60 may be provided to allow voice communication with the central station.
Referring in greater detail to FIG. 4, it will be apparent that initially the kiosk will be in an ATTRACT MODE, notifying a potential patron to "TOUCH ANY BUTTON TO START" In the ATTRACT MODE the video display can provide samples of various available productions, performance sites and other information of interest to a passerby.
Upon selection of the theater/stadium list button, a THEATER/STADIUM LIST WINDOW is opened instructing the patron to "TOUCH ANY LISTING TO SELECT" and enabling the user to scroll through the listings of theaters, stadiums or other performance sites.
The patron can then select the VIRTUAL TOUR WINDOW to display the virtual tour described previously for that selected site, or the LOCATION HISTORY WINDOW for the detailed location history. At the visual tour the patron may be instructed "INSERT CREDIT CARD TO CONTINUE TOUR--NO CHARGE WILL BE MADE UNLESS TICKETS ARE PURCHASED". At the LOCATION HISTORY WINDOW the patron may be instructed "INSERT CREDIT CARD TO SEE MORE THEATER INFORMATION--NO CHARGE WILL BE MADE UNLESS TICKETS ARE PURCHASED." The current show listing can also be selected with the instruction "TOUCH SHOW LISTING TO SELECT." The current show listing will lead to the PREVIEW WINDOW enabling the patron to select a preview of the listed show with the instruction, after three previews, "INSERT CREDIT CARD TO SEE MORE PREVIEWS--NO CHARGE WILL BE MADE UNLESS TICKETS ARE PURCHASED."
Selection of the CALENDAR WINDOW (TOUCH DAY TO SELECT) will carry the patron to the SHOW TIMES WINDOW ("TO PURCHASE TICKETS INSERT CREDIT CARD AND TOUCH SHOW TIME DESIRED"), carrying the patron to the SEATING AVAILABILITY CHART WINDOW.
When the patron in the ATTRACT MODE selects the purchase tickets command button ("PLEASE INSERT CREDIT CARD"), selection can be effected of the CALENDAR WINDOW ("TOUCH ANY DAY TO SELECT") the show times window is displayed ("TOUCH TIME TO SELECT" to carry the user to the SEATING AVAILABILITY CHART WINDOW. Selection of the SHOW/EVENT LIST WINDOW ("TOUCH ANY LISTING TO SELECT") will also carry the user to the SEATING AVAILABILITY CHART WINDOW.
In the ATTRACT MODE, selection of the show/event list command button will display the SHOW/EVENT LIST WINDOW providing a SHOW PREVIEW WINDOW or a SHOW LOCATION WINDOW or a CALENDAR WINDOW. Selection of the latter "TOUCH ANY DAY TO SELECT" will provide the SHOW TIMES WINDOW and carry the patron to the SEATING AVAILABILITY CHART WINDOW. If desired, during the show/event selection, a window can be open providing the current day listing only option.
Touching the SHOW LOCATION WINDOW can provide the VIRTUAL TOUR and the LOCATION HISTORY WINDOWS as previously described.
The SEATING AVAILABILITY CHART WINDOW ("TOUCH SEATS TO SELECT AND TO SEE VIEW FROM SEATS") POPS UP THE SEAT VIEW WINDOW and effects communication with the central station, credit card authorization and indicia in the manner described.
1. A method of correlating theater ticket sales, comprising the steps of:
(a) communicating to a multiplicity of vending kiosks information as to events and times for which seating is available at a plurality of performance locations;
(b) displaying information as to events at said vending kiosks;
(c) in response to selection of a particular event at one of said kiosks by a potential patron, displaying at least one scene exemplary of said particular event by accessing coded and digitalized live video;
(d) displaying at said one of said kiosks for said particular event at the respective performance location a respective seating plan indicating available seats;
(e) in response to selection of a potentially available seat at said one of said kiosks by said potential patron, displaying a view representing a view from the selected potentially available seat and accessed from coded and digitalized live video;
(f) charging a card presented by the patron for a selected seat;
(g) issuing to said patron at said one of said kiosks an information carrier representing a receipt for a charge made and a confirmed seat selection, authorizing admission of a bearer of said information carrier to said particular event; and
(h) displaying from live video which has been coded and digitalized, views of an area and street vicinity of a selected performance location, views of a marquis, box office, lobby, lounge and historical and architectural points of interest of a selected performance location enabling a potential patron to virtually tour said selected performance location.
2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein information as to events and times for which seating is available at a plurality of performance locations is communicated to said kiosks from a central station in communication with said locations, and a display at said one of said kiosks for said particular event at the respective performance location of the respective seating plan indicating available seats is effected by dialog between said central station and said one of said kiosks.
3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the charging of said card at said one of said kiosks is effected by dialog between said central station and said one of said kiosks.
4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein the display of a view representing a view from the selected potentially available seat is effected by dialog between said central station and said one of said kiosks.
5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein the issuing to said patron at said one of said kiosks of said information carrier representing a receipt for a charge made and a confirmed seat selection, authorizing admission of a bearer of said information carrier to said particular event is effected by dialog between said central station and said one of said kiosks.
6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein display of information at said one of said kiosks is effected by touch screen and selection is effected by said patron touching said touch screen.
7. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying at each of said kiosks in an attract mode views accessed from live video which has been coded and digitalized and showing excerpts from an actual performance at at least one of said locations.
8. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a video replay of an actual event at a selected performance location as a preview in response to a selection by said potential patron.
9. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a video containing information about an author, producer, director and star of a particular event upon selection by a potential patron.
10. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of accessing and displaying a video history of a selected facility of one of said performance locations.
11. An apparatus for correlating theater ticket sales, comprising:
a central station accumulating information as to events occurring at a multiplicity of performance locations, available seating at said events and times of said events;
a plurality of vending kiosks remote from said central station;
means for communicating to a multiplicity of said vending kiosks information as to events and times for which seating is available at a plurality of performance locations;
means at each of said vending kiosks for displaying information as to said events;
means operable in response to selection of a particular event at one of said kiosks by a potential patron, for displaying at least one scene exemplary of said particular event;
means at said one of said kiosks for displaying for said particular event at the respective performance location a respective seating plan indicating available seats;
means in response to selection of a potentially available seat at said one of said kiosks by said potential patron, displaying a view representing a view from the selected potentially available seat;
means at said one of said kiosks for charging a card presented by the patron for a selected seat; and
means at said one of said kiosks for issuing to said patron at said one of said kiosks an information carrier representing a receipt for a charge made and a confirmed seat selection, authorizing admission of a bearer of said information carrier to said particular event; and
means at said one of said kiosks for displaying from live video which has been coded and digitalized, views of an area and street vicinity of a selected performance location, views of a marquis, box office, lobby, lounge and historical and architectural points of interest of a selected performance location enabling a potential patron to virtually tour said selected performance location and for virtually moving the patron through the tour.
12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 comprising a communications link between each vending kiosk and said central station for dialog therebetween.
13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein said communications link is a wireless link.
14. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said communications link utilizes modems in said kiosks and at said central station.
15. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said means at said one of said kiosks for issuing to said patron at said one of said kiosks said information carrier representing a receipt for a charge made and a confirmed seat selection, authorizing admission of a bearer of said information carrier to said particular event is a printer.
16. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said means at said one of said kiosks for charging a card presented by the patron for a selected seat includes a card reader in said one of said kiosks.
17. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein said means at each of said vending kiosks for displaying information as to said events includes a respective touch screen which can be touched by a patron to register a respective selection.
3705384 December 1972 Walhberg
5237499 August 17, 1993 Garback
5239480 August 24, 1993 Huegel
5333257 July 26, 1994 Merrill
5475585 December 12, 1995 Bush
5581461 December 3, 1996 Coll et al.
Cydee Miller, "Music marketers hoping to see a Net gain", Marketing News, Jan. 15, 1996, vol. 30, Issue 2, p. 2. Larry Stevens, "Front-line systems", Computerworld, Mar. 2, 1992, vol. 26, Issue 9, pp. 61-63.
Filed: Feb 16, 1996
Inventors: Edward Helbling (Commack, NY), Andrew Glass (Dix Hills, NY)
Primary Examiner: Donald E. McElheny, Jr.
Attorney: Herbert Dubno
Current U.S. Class: Reservation, Check-in, Or Booking Display For Reserved Space (705/5)
International Classification: G06F15302;
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Justia Patents Bandwidth Reduction Or ExpansionUS Patent for Continuously adaptive digital video compression system and method for a web streamer Patent (Patent # 6,091,777)
Continuously adaptive digital video compression system and method for a web streamer
A cost effective continuously adaptive digital video system and method for compressing color video data for moving images. The method describes capturing an analog video frame and digitizing the image into a preferred source input format for compression using a combination of unique lossy and lossless digital compression techniques including subband coding, wavelet transforms, motion detection, run length coding and variable length coding. The system includes encoder and decoder (CODEC) sections for compression and decompression of visual images to provide high compression with good to excellent video quality. The compressed video data provides a base video layer and additional layers of video data that are multiplexed with compressed digital audio to provide a data stream that can be packetized for distribution over inter or intranets, including wireless networks over local or wide areas. The (CODEC) system continuously adjusts the compression of the digital images frame by frame in response to comparing the available bandwidth on the data channel to the available bandwidth on the channel for the previous frame to provide an output data stream commensurate with the available bandwidth of the network transmission channel and with the receiver resource capabilities of the client users. The compression may be further adjusted by adjustment of the frame rate of the output data stream.
The present invention relates generally to an improvement in the field of digital television systems and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a continuously adaptive digital video compression system and method for a web streamer.
Multimedia communications is a rapidly developing field. Recent advances in both the computer industry and telecommunications field has made digital video and audio economically viable for visual communications. This progress has been supported by the availability of digital channels such as the narrow band Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and its successor the broadband ISDN and its progress to local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), digital satellite and wireless networks, digital terrestrial broadcasting channels and corporate intranet networks and will lead to communication-based applications such as video phone, video conference systems, digital broadcast TV/HDTV, remote sensing, and surveillance. Digital storage-based audio visual applications include server-client based data bases, education, training, video-on-demand type entertainment, advertising, and document storage and transfer.
Specific examples of actual and anticipated applications include a web streamer which provides video data streams from stored video clips at a server. Desirably, the video data would be delivered such that there is no need to store the data at the client before displaying. Such an application would provide training on demand, advertising promotions, product demonstrations, product promotions on the internet, music videos and communications between executives of companies and other such uses. Other applications would include sending video data one way for telesales, product support, tourism promotions, road/traffic conditions, security and surveillance, video e-mail and the like. Another exemplary application would be video conferencing such as used for corporate work groups, medical diagnostics and conferencing, distance education and training, customer support and professional conferences. Other contemplated applications of the invention would include further expansion into areas such as live video streamer multicast and multipoint conferencing.
A cost effective digital compression and decompression arrangement for video and audio data streams while delivering high quality video and audio streams is essential for the introduction and widespread use of visual communications. To reduce transmission and storage costs, improved bit rate compression schemes are needed. Image, video, and audio signals are amenable to compression due to considerable statistical redundancy in the signals. Within a single image or a single video frame there exists significant correlation among neighboring samples, giving rise to what is generally termed "spatial correlation." Also in moving images, such as full motion video, there is significant correlation among samples in different segments of time such as successive frames. This correlation is generally referred to as "temporal correlation." However, a difficulty arises in the provision of a digital compression arrangement for a web streamer in that the bandwidth of the transmission channel is subject to change during transmission and clients with varying receiver resources may join or leave the network as well during transmission.
Accordingly, there is a present need in the art for an improved cost effective system and method that uses both spatial and temporal correlation to remove the redundancy in the video to achieve high compression in transmission and to maintain good to excellent image quality while continually adapting to change in the available bandwidth of the transmission channel and to the limitations of the receiving resources of the clients. The purpose of the present invention is then to provide a next-generation cost effective video compression/decompression (CODEC) system for storage and distribution of high quality multimedia information on information networks using personal computers (PCS) that is continuously adaptive to changing conditions.
In reviewing the prior art it is found that a known technique for taking advantage of the limited variation between frames of a television broadcast is known as motion-compensated image coding. In such coding, the current frame is predicted from the previously encoded frame using motion estimation and compensation, and the difference between the actual current frame and the predicted current frame is coded. By coding only the difference, or residual, rather than the image frame itself, it is possible to improve image quality, for the residual tends to have lower amplitude than the image, and can thus be coded with greater accuracy. Motion estimation and compensation are discussed in Lim, J. S. Two-Dimensional Signal and Image Processing, Prentice Hall, pp. 497-507 (1990). A frame of estimated motion vectors is produced by comparing the current and previous frames. Typically, each motion vector is simply a pair of x and y values representing estimates of the horizontal and vertical displacement of the image from one frame to the next at a particular location. The motion vectors are coded as side information. In the decoder, the current image frame is computed by summing the decoded residual with a motion-compensated version of the prior image frame. Motion compensation is typically performed on each pixel of the prior frame using bilinear interpolation between nearest motion vectors.
A review of the patent literature has uncovered some patents that are of interest. U. S. Pat. No. 5,218,435 dated Jun. 8, 1993 and issued to J. S. Lim et al for DIGITAL ADVANCED TELEVISION SYSTEMS teaches image quality improvement in high definition television using multi-scale representation of motion compensated residuals. The bandwidth of the subband filters vary with the frequency band and the total number of coefficients in the multi-scale represented frames is equal to the number of values in the residual. Image initialization in the receivers is achieved using original image leakage, but the leakage factor is varied for different frequency subbands. To free up channel capacity at scene changes, a frame-wide decision is made as to whether to motion compensate a particular frame. Chrominance resolution employs encoding all of the subbands of the chroma residuals, instead of just the low subbands.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,808 issued on Aug. 27, 1991 to S. C. Knauer et al for HIGH DEFINITION TELEVISION ARRANGEMENT EMPLOYING MOTION COMPENSATED PREDICTION ERROR SIGNALS teaches a high definition television system where the television signal is encoded by developing motion vectors that describe the best motion estimate of the image to be transmitted, by developing motion estimation error signals, by encoding these error signals within the same bandwidth as occupied by standard NTSC signals and by transmitting the encoded error signals during periods that correspond to the active scan intervals of the NTSC TV signal. The motion vectors themselves, together with video and control signals, are transmitted during the NTSC retrace period.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,810 dated Aug. 17, 1991 issued to F. W. P. Vreeswijk et al for a METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPORALLY AND SPATIALLY PROCESSING A VIDEO SIGNAL. This patent teaches a system having a transmitting section that has transmitting section signal paths for at least three classes of motion, each with a preprocessing circuit which is provided with means for individually sampling in accordance with separate sampling patterns so that each preprocessing circuit supplies a video signal which is suitable for a display with an optimum distribution of temporal and/or spatial resolution for the associated class of motion. Dependent on the class of motion determined, one of the preprocessing circuits is coupled to a channel so that video signal supplied to the channel is suitable for a display with an optimum distribution of temporal and/or spatial resolution for the given class of motion. The associated receiver also has three receiving section signal paths comprising a postprocessing circuit which decodes a received video signal according to a method which selects the correct postprocessing circuit in accordance with the class of motion so that a display with an increasing spatial resolution can be achieved in the case of a decreasing motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,855 dated Jul. 24, 1990 issued to H. Bheda et al for PROGRESSIVE SUB-BAND IMAGE CODING SYSTEM. This patent teaches reducing image data redundancies through progressive subband coding. The image is separated into a selected plurality of subbands, and the sub-band with the largest non-redundant data content is chosen and used to predict the data in the other subbands. Only prediction error information of the predicted sub-bands is encoded and transmitted together with the encoded chosen sub-band. An overall performance error signal can also be evaluated at the encoder end and used to further improve performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,529 issued on Dec. 21, 1993 to J. E. Frederikesen for ADAPTIVE HIERARCHICAL SUBBAND VECTOR QUANTIZATION ENCODER. This patent teaches a system for data reduction digital video signals based on vector quantization of vectors formed from coefficients of a discrete cosine transform of pixel blocks. The coefficients are grouped into subbands and both scaler and vector quantization are used. Vector quantization is implemented either directly on the vectors or on vectors formed from inter-frame differences between the transformed vectors. The vector quantization searching routine is in accordance with the Voronoi regions resulting from an off-line codeword clustering method using a minimum distance criterion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,182 dated Mar. 28, 1989 for TRUNCATED SUBBAND CODING IMAGES teaches analyzing image data in a number of iterated analysis procedures, using two-dimensional quadrature mirror filters to separate low-pass spatial filter response component and three differently oriented high-pass spatial filter response components, which filter response components are decimated in both dimensions. The high pass filter response components are coded "as is" and the low-pass filter response component is coded "as is" only in the last iteration. In the earlier analysis procedures the low-pass filter response component provides the input data for the succeeding analysis procedure. No motion compensation is taught.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,040 dated Nov. 6, 1990 and issued to H. Gharavi for APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIFFERENTIAL SUB-BANDING CODING OF VIDEO SIGNALS teaches an arrangement for achieving a high compression of a video signal. The PEL-by PEL difference between an input signal consisting of digital PEL values of a scanned video signal and a motion compensated interframe prediction signal is decomposed into several narrow bands using separable two-dimensional quadrature mirror filtering. Each sub-band is quantized by a symmetric uniform quantizer with a center dead zone. Entropy coders code the quantized values by variable word-length coding the nonzero quantized values and transmitting that information with the corresponding run-length coded positional information. The outputs of the coders are combined into a constant rate bit stream. As required, the dead zones and step sizes of the quantizers are adjusted to force more zero value quantized levels thereby reducing the amount of data.
In Signal Processing: Image Communication 2 (1990) pg. 81-94, K. S. Thyagarajan and Harry Sanchez discussed the ENCODING OF VIDEOCONFERENCING SIGNALS USING VDPCM. The techniques of motion detection, interframe linear block prediction and vector quantization were incorporated in an arrangement for encoding monochrome image sequences for video conferencing application. Data compression rate reduction is accomplished by identifying and processing only those regions that exhibit noticeable changes between successive frames, by estimating the magnitude of the change through linear block or vector prediction and quantizing the residual vectors through a vector quantizer. The motion detector uses a modified block matching algorithm to detect the moving blocks. Perceptually-based edged detectors are used to design vector quantizer (VQ) codebooks for different classes of image blocks to achieve better visual quality. Encoding rates under 60 kbps are achieved with acceptable visual quality at nominal computational complexity.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved digital video compression arrangement having a continuously adaptive video signal compression/decompression (CODEC) system for storage and distribution of good to excellent multimedia information on information networks using personal computers (PC's).
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a digital video compression arrangement wherein the encoder continuously adapts the compression to the a designated output data rate commensurate with the presently available bandwidth on the transmission channel and/or to the acceptable data rate for the decoder at the receiver of a client.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide continuously flexible CODEC wherein resolution, image size, and frame rate of the digital color video data stream can be adjusted at the encoder and/or the decoder at client user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital video compression arrangement which provides a plurality of layered compressed video signal data streams representative of a base level visual image and additional layers of added visual details.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital video compression arrangement which provides layers of compressed digital video data steams that permit adaption of the arrangement to available information network capacity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital video compression system that provides layers of multicast/multimedia information over an information network to a number of customers that may individually choose the level of visual image they wish to receive.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a CODEC design which provides for the decoder portion to be providable in software only to a recipient personal computer user whereby real time video streams may be decoded without storage of the received data stream at the decoder of a receiver
Yet another object of the present invention is to implement the method of the invention by providing the CODEC design in the form of software that is provided to data processing means for providing the encoder and decoder sections of such CODEC.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and application of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates a cost effective digital video compression arrangement that is continuously adaptive to available bandwidth capacity on the transmission channel and to the receiver resources of client users for distribution of color video multimedia/multicast information over both packet switched networks and point-to-point communication circuits that use personal computers (PC's). The digital video compression arrangement uses a novel compression/decompression arrangement (CODEC) having encoder and decoder sections to provide continuously adaptive compression and decompression of multicast/multimedia information that includes color video and accompanying audio over packet switched networks and point-to-point communication circuits by means of compressed video and audio signal data streams that are layered to provide a base layer representing a base visual level and progressive additional data streams to provide higher levels of visual resolution. Preferably, the CODEC will be provided as software that is supplied to PC's so that both the encoder and decoder may be provided by the processing of digital data streams by the PC's.
Since the decoder may exist as software that has been transmitted to a receiver PC, the received data streams may be decoded in real time, without storage, to provide a desired visual display. The decoder portion of the CODEC may be provided in the form of software that is transmitted to a recipient user prior to receipt of video and audio signal data streams. The recipient user may also determine the level of visual image desired and select the layers of data streams to be utilized. The encoder portion of the CODEC may receive control signals relating to measurement of network parameters such as the presently available bandwidth of the transmission channel and by receiving feedback from receiving clients or by interrogating the transmission channel during the call setup mode. The CODEC of the system includes a number of unique features to achieve high compression of color video with good-to-excellent video quality.
The novel method of the present invention contemplates compressing input color video data for moving images for a web stream to be transmitted over a transmission channel having a variable bandwidth to client users having receivers that may receive data input at different acceptable data rates. This novel method includes the steps of compressing an input color video data stream for moving images on the basis of a target bandwidth of a data transmission channel to provide a compressed output video data stream and transmitting the compressed output color video data stream to at least one receiver over the transmission channel. The actual bandwidth of the transmission channel is then determined as the compressed output video data stream was transmitted to at least one receiver. The compression of the input color video data stream is then continuously changed on a frame by frame basis in response to such determination whereby the transmission of a subsequent output color video data stream is commensurate with the available bandwidth of the transmission channel.
This novel method contemplates compressing the input color video data stream by detecting the amount of motion that is sensed in the input color video data stream and changing the rate of compression of said input color video data stream to provide an output color video data stream having a data rate commensurate with the available bandwidth of the transmission channel. This data rate by also be adjusted by adjusting the frame rate of the output compressed data stream so that the output data stream becomes commensurate with the available bandwidth of the transmission channel and to the receiver resources of the least capable client user of the web stream.
More specifically, the novel method of the present invention contemplates continually determining the actual bandwidth of the transmission channel as the compressed output video data stream is transmitted to a receiver and continually changing the compression of the video data stream to adapt the bit rate of the data stream to be commensurate with the available variable bandwidth of the transmission channel and/or to the receiver resources of the least capable receiver that receives a web stream of the layered video and audio data. The compression of the input color video data stream is determined by detecting the amount of motion that is occurring between successive frames. This detection of motion is accomplished by determining whether a plurality of variable thresholds have been exceeded. By continually monitoring the available bandwidth of the transmission channel and the receiver resources of the clients, the thresholds are continually updated on a frame-by-frame basis to thereby adjust the bit rate of the output data stream to be commensurate with the immediately available bandwidth. The novel invention also provides that in addition to varying the thresholds to determine motion between frames by comparing pixel blocks of successive frames, the frame rate of the output color video data stream may also be adjusted to further vary the data rate of such data stream to an optimum rate.
The method of the present invention also preferably contemplates converting the input RGB color video signal to a preferred YUV format and then spectrally decomposing the image frames of such YUV signal to a plurality of multifrequency subbands to a plurality of levels. These subbands are then quantized to provide a predetermined number of subbands for the Y, U and V components whereby a selection of data may be made to provide a base layer video data stream and additional layers of video data so that a user may determine the resolution and visual quality to be displayed by such user.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contributions to the art may be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and methods do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the operation of the encoder of a CODEC operated accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation illustrating the conversion of a color video signal from a RGB format into a YUV format and subsequent spectral decomposition into three multifrequency subbands.
FIG. 3 is a representation of the motion detection algorithm used in the encoder of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a motion detection flow diagram of the operation of the algorithm of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5A is a representation of a table used in the quantization step of the present invention.
FIG. 5B is a representation of a typical histogram of an image and several parameters used for scalar quantization.
FIG. 6 is a representation of the wavelet 6-tap FIR filter used in the quantization step of the invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates the original and reconstructed intensity of a line chosen in an image, with the corresponding error shown at the bottom of each curve, having used a 6-tap FIR filter with a first level subband coding.
FIG. 8 illustrates the original and reconstructed intensity of a line chosen in the same image of FIG. 7, with the corresponding error shown at the bottom of each curve, having used a 6-tap FIR filter with a second level of subband coding.
FIG. 9 illustrates the original and reconstructed intensity of a line chosen in the same image of FIG. 7, with the corresponding error shown at the bottom of each curve, having used a 6-tap FIR filter with a third level of subband coding.
FIG. 10 is a table illustrating a Delta Bw Index table for determining changes to be made in thresholds for detecting motion between frames of a color video signal
FIG. 11 is a table illustrating the different thresholds that are obtained by a newly generated Bw Index for the next frame of a color video signal.
FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of the decoder of the novel invention.
FIG. 13 is a diagram of one physical embodiment of the CODEC for performing the steps of the invention.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts in all FIGURES.
Referring now to drawings in detail, and in particular to FIG. 1, reference character 10 generally designates a functional block diagram of the encoder section 12 of a continuously adaptive digital video compression arrangement illustrating the novel method of the present invention for a web streamer. This arrangement provides compression/decompression of color video in what is known as a CODEC system. The functional block diagram of the decoder section 14 of the CODEC is seen in FIG. 12. Preferably, the novel method of the present invention is performed by software that has been provided to suitable data processing means of both the encoder and decoder sections of the CODEC.
For ease of understanding the novel method and systems of the present invention will be generally described and then a more detailed description of the invention will be presented. Typically a video signal is produced as an analog signal from a video camera or a VCR that captures a sequence of individual frames representing a moving scene. As a first step preceding the compression of the video signal, the system performs a set of functions to transform the analog video signal into a preferred proper format for compression. These functions include frame capture, analog to digital (A/D) conversion and transforming individual color components from RGB to YUV, 4:2:2 format. The window size is adjusted to a video format known as the Common Intermediate Format (CIF). The next step is to compress the digitized video signal to meet the requirements of an output data rate that is established by the receiver resources of the client user or, if there are multiple users that are leaving or joining the video distribution network, the receiver resources of the least capable user and also the presently available bandwidth on a channel that is subject to continual variance.
The first step in the novel compression step of the CODEC of the present invention is to spectrally decompose each color into frequency subbands using wavelet transforms. There are known image compression techniques such as JPEG, MPEG, and P*64 that have used transform techniques such as discrete cosine transform (DCT) to project the video samples as appropriate basis functions and then to encode the resulting coefficients. These transforms are based on transforming a block of video data, such as 8.times.8 pixels, for JPEG or MPEG and therefore have a block constraint and, thus, fail to exploit interblock correlations. The discrete cosine transform or the related Fourier transform work under the assumption that the original time domain signal is periodic in nature. As a result it has difficulty with signals having transient components, that is signals that are localized in time. This is especially apparent when a signal has sharp transitions.
Another problem is that the Fourier transform of a signal does not convey any information pertaining to translation of the signal in time. To overcome these problems in the known art the compression arrangement of the present invention uses wavelet transforms which overcomes these problems by choosing basis functions that are localized both in time and frequency called "wavelets". The wavelet representation is very suitable for non-stationary signals such as a sequence of video images having motion. The technique of compression by quantization and encoding the wavelet coefficients relies on the assumption that details at high resolution are less visible to the eye and therefore can be eliminated or reconstructed with lower order precision while still maintaining good to excellent display visual quality. Thus, the wavelet coefficients are coded according to their location in frequency bands and their importance for the quality of the final reconstructed image.
The CODEC of the present invention further utilizes the multiresolution property of the wavelet transforms to decompose the signal in multiple frequency bands, both in the vertical and horizontal directions. Subband coding using wavelet transform thus forms the basis for a layered CODEC where image quality can be improved by successively adding more details in additional video data streams to improve the quality of the reconstructed image.
As an example, consider the instance where this technique of successive approximations can be useful in providing the same video image to different customers or clients on a multicast network with each customer having different resources available. Each client can use the base layer to receive a coarse version of the image and more details can be fetched by using more details available in successive subbands.
Once the wavelet transform has been performed, each subband is a transformation of the original image based on the frequency filter designated for that subband. The present invention provides a scalar quantization routine that quantizes the coefficients derived from the transform to achieve low distribution and meet a targeted bit rate constraint. A bit allocation has been developed that allocates different bits to each coefficient based on the subband level and the variance of each subband. Based on characterization of a large number of images a bit allocation arrangement has been designed that allocates a different number of bits for each frequency bin and each subband level, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
The present invention also uses a novel arrangement to determine motion detection between successive frames to send only data representative of moving blocks. The motion detection algorithm of the present invention is based on two variable thresholds. The first threshold is based on the difference in the intensity level between corresponding pixels between two successive frames. If this difference exceeds that threshold as it is set at that moment the pixel is declared to have moved. The second variable threshold is set on the number of pixels that have moved within a block of pixels. The compression is controlled by varying both thresholds.
The CODEC of the present invention operates on a target bits per frame rate to provide a digital color video data stream. This output color video data stream, which is a continuously variable target bits per frame rate, is variable to be commensurate with the actual bandwidth of the transmission channel which is subject to continual variation. The target bits per frame rate can also be continually adapted to be commensurate with the decoder's capability of the least capable receiver of a client user to handle the received data color video data steam in real time. To achieve this targeted output rate the compression method of the present invention adaptively adjusts these two thresholds to vary the intensity level and the count of moving pixels as will be described in detail hereinafter.
The novel method of the present invention also teaches providing, as a last stage of the encoder section 10, a lossless entropy coder consisting of a run-length coder and a variable-length coder. The run length encoder compresses the video data stream by representing consecutive zeroes by their run length when a zero run is present. The decoder section 14 which preferably exists as software in a client user reverses the process by generating the appropriate number of zeroes between two nonzero data.
The lossless entropy encoder also provides a variable-length encoder in the form of a novel Huffman encoder. The variable length code used provides further lossless compression by assigning the shortest code to the most frequently occurring gray levels within an image and the longest codes to the least frequently occurring gray levels. Huffman codes provide the optimum mapping between the pixel value and the code word and has been adapted for the CODEC provided by the present invention
The audio signal which may accompany the input color video signal is also compressed by any one of a number of known audio compression systems and is multiplexed with the compressed output digital color video data stream and sent through a suitable network interface for proper formatting before it is transmitted on a network.
The network interface consists of the internet protocol (IP) and the transmission control protocol (TCP) as the basic protocols for the video/audio distribution in a web streamer. To manage all functions required for efficiently sending video and audio data streams over existing networks, a number of other protocols such as real-time transport protocol (RTP), the real-time control protocol (RTCP) and resource reservation protocol (RVSP) could also be considered. The method and system taught by such method has been designed to use these protocols as required to provide an integrated multimedia networking service with standard internet protocols.
To describe now in detail the novel method and arrangement taught by such method to provide a continuously adaptive digital video compression arrangement for a web streamer, reference is again made to FIG. 1 which shows the functional block diagram of the encoder section 12. For ease of illustration, a portion of the encoder section 12 is shown in FIG. 13 as a video capture board that can be plugged into a PC but preferably the entire encoder section is provided as software which is loaded into a suitable data processing means, such as a PC. The input into the encoder section 12 is a NTSC analog signal from a suitable video camera or a VCR. The input analog color video signal is fed to a video capture board, as seen in the embodiment of FIG. 13, which can be plugged into any personal computer having sufficient data processing capability such as 486 or greater capability. The analog color video signal is received one frame at a time and the image is digitized to 640 pixels vertically and 480 pixels horizontally. The digitized video signal is converted in YUV, 4:2:2 format where the luminance component Y is kept at full bandwidth while the two color difference or chrominance components U and V are reduced in bandwidth and therefore down sampled to 320.times.240 pixels. The data capacity for the color information is then reduced by one-half by taking advantage of the relatively poor color acuity of human vision.
The frame rate is maintained at 30 frames per second according to NTSC. Each pixel is quantized to 8 bits to provide 256 gray levels. Using 4:2:2 sampling, a 2.times.2 block of pixels will use (4+2+2).times.8=64 bits or an average of 16 bits per pixel. For a frame size of 640.times.480 pixels at a frame rate of 30 frames per second amounts to an uncompressed data rate of 640.times.480.times.16 30=147.46M bits per second. Because this rate is too high for most applications, further reduction in the data rate is achieved by reducing the window size from 640.times.480 pixels to 320.times.240 pixels for the luminance component Y by filtering and subsampling. Similarly, the size of chrominance components U and V is reduced to 160.times.120 pixels each, and the frame rate is reduced to 15 frames per second. This format is referred to in the art as 4:2:0 sampling. With 8 bits per pixel the YUV coded 4:2:0 system has an average uncompressed 12 bits per pixel. The uncompressed data rate is now 320.times.240.times.12.times.15=13.82M bits per second.
As previously indicated, encoder section 12 is preferably provided entirely in software but in the event that a plug in board is provided, it may further reduce the video data by combining interlaced fields in each frame, low pass filtering using finite impulse filters and decimating to a window size of 160.times.120 pixels in YUV, 4:2:0 format at 15 frames per second.
The reduced window size 160.times.120 pixels frame is now decomposed using wavelet based subband coding filters both in rows and columns direction to obtain four frequency subbands and the output is decimated in 2:1 ratio to obtain a Y component at 80.times.60 pixels per subband while the U and V components are decimated to size 40.times.30 pixels each. An exemplary wavelet based subband coding filter arrangement used to advantage in the present invention is seen in FIG. 6. The captured image at this point has been converted to YUV, 4:2:0 format where the U and V frames are one-fourth size of the Y frame.
For ease of understanding the following discussion relating to the subbands for the Y, U and V components, reference should be made to FIG. 2. The four subbands of Y are then designated as Y.sub.LL1, Y.sub.LH1, Y.sub.HL1 and Y.sub.HH1 components with the subscript LL describing the low-low band in the horizontal and vertical directions for one level of subband coding. Similarly, the subscripts LH, HL and HH indicate the low-high, high-low and high-high bands and the subscript 1 beside each subband indicates the first level of subband coding. In the instance where there is a plug-in board in the computer of the encoder section 12, such plug-in board would have enough memory to store up to four finished frames in a FIFO buffer. Each subband of Y, namely Y.sub.LL1, Y.sub.LH1, Y.sub.HL1 and Y.sub.HH1, has 80.times.60 pixels each. Similar subbanding operations are applied to the U and V components with resulting subbands U.sub.LL1, U.sub.LH1, U.sub.HL1, U.sub.LL1 and V.sub.LL1, V.sub.LH1, V.sub.HL1, V.sub.HH1 with 40.times.30 pixels in each subband. However, only U.sub.LL1 and V.sub.LL1 are retained and the other six subbands are discarded.
The spectral decomposition performed to get four subbands each for the Y, U and V components uses two filters, one a low-pass filter and the other a high-pass filter, as seen in FIG. 6. These filters are based on wavelet transform and are implemented using a 6-tap FIR filter design with the following coefficients:
Low-Pass [-1/16, 1/16, 1/2, -1/16, 1/16]
High Pass [-1/16, -1/16, 1/2, -1/16, -1/16]
These coefficients are initially obtained in floating point from the design of the wavelet transform and then rounded off to powers of 1/2 to perform multiplication by a shifting operation. This results in speeding up the encoding process for real-time operation.
FIG. 2 illustrates the subbands for the Y, U and V components. Three stages or levels of frequency decomposition are shown for the Y component and only two stages for the U and V components. While only three levels of frequency decomposition are illustrated, it is within the scope of this invention to provide additional bands of spectral decomposition that could provide layers of data suitable for some visual image requirements. Such decomposition is preferably performed by a data processing means performing in accordance with a software routine but the first stage of subbands could be performed in the hardware plug-in card as previously noted.
For the notation YLLi, i=1,2,3 and corresponds to the ith level of subband coding for the YLL component, the notation applies similarly for the other subbands.
The quantization process in rounding off from the floating point coefficients to coefficients which are powers of 1/2 produces a small amount of error. The filter design was chosen so as to minimize this error. FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show the original and reconstructed intensity of a line in an image illustrating one level, two levels, and three levels of subband coding with the corresponding error show at the bottom of each curve using a 6-tap filter. As can be seen from these curves using integer coefficients in the filter introduces an error that is relatively small. In the instance of one level of coding the error is insignificant. Similarly, two levels of coding produces a very minor error and even in the event of three bands of coding the level of error is relatively insignificant when taking into account the acuity of the human eye.
Since the filters are FIR filters they need to be initialized. The boundaries of the input frame are augmented by wrapping or padding the first pixel of each row two times to the left, wrapping or padding the last pixel of each row two times to the right, wrapping or padding the first of each column two times upwards, and wrapping or padding the last pixel of each column two times downwards. Wrapping of extra pixels is required to initialize the filters and during the final output of the last pixel.
The input frame is linearly filtered row-wise and column-wise in four ways: Low-pass rows-low pass columns, low-pass rows-high -pass columns, high-pass rows-low-pass columns, and high-pass rows-high-pass columns. As the input frame is filtered it is also decimated by a factor of 2. Thus, the final filtered frames will each be one-fourth the sized of the input frame. Each of these subbands can now be treated as an independent stream and is processed further through motion detection to detect motion between successive frames and providing a dynamic priority to dynamically adjust the data rate of the output color video data stream to meet a variable target rate output based on the presently available network resources such as the available bandwidth of the transmission channel, quality and resolution desired by the client users, and receiver resources of the clients.
As indicated in FIG. 1 , the output after the three stages of subband coding consist of the following subbands with their size. The Y components consist of the ten subbands listed below:
Y.sub.LH1, Y.sub.HL1, Y.sub.HH1 : 80.times.60 pixels
Y.sub.LH3, Y.sub.HL3, Y.sub.HH3, Y.sub.LL3 : 20.times.15 pixels
Y.sub.LL3, is identified as the Low-Low band and the rest of the nine Y bands are identified as the high bands.
For U and V components:
U.sub.LL2 and V.sub.LL2 : 20.times.15 pixels
Only the noted U.sub.LL2 and V.sub.LL2 subbands are used in the present arrangement and the rest of the subbands for the U and V components are discarded.
The method of the present invention teaches performing a scalar quantization as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As will be illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 1, the Y.sub.LL3, and U.sub.LL2 and V.sub.LL2 subbands are not quantized and are sent as raw data or as a base layer data stream with full resolution.
The scalar quantization on the nine high subbands of the Y component uses a technique based on three parameters. These parameters are (1) number of quantization levels, (2) zero bin size, and (3) step size width of quantization. The table shown in FIG. 5A illustrates these parameters for the three levels of subbands. This table was optimized by experimenting histograms of various images showing the number of pixels versus the quantization level. A typical histogram for an image is shown in FIG. 5B, along with the scalar quantization.
Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the method of the present invention teaches further compressing the image by using motion detection between successive frames to send only the moving blocks. Motion detection is performed for all frames in an image sequence, including the first frame. The motion detection process involves determining whether two thresholds have been exceeded for a block of pixels. As seen in FIG. 1, the motion detection process is updated on a frame by frame basis by determining a new target bit rate on the basis of whether the output color video data stream was commensurate with the available bandwidth for the transmission channel and the receiver resources of the least capable receiver of a client user. The pixel block size will vary depending on the subband level as will be described in detail later.
The two thresholds for each pixel block are defined so that if:
(a) Intensity check: .vertline.P'.sub.i --P'.sub.i .vertline..gtoreq.T.sub.1
Where P.sub.1 and P'.sub.1 represent intensity levels for corresponding pixels in the current and previous blocks.
(b) Number of pixels in a block check: if the number of pixels satisfying step (a).gtoreq.T.sub.2.
If these two variable thresholds have then exceeded then the block is declared to have moved, otherwise not. The blocks that have moved are processed further in accordance with a loss-less compression algorithm, namely, run-length and variable length coding such as Huffman coding for further compression as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The non-moving blocks of raw data and the moving blocks data, after loss-less compression are combined for network packet formation as shown in FIG. 1.
In order to keep the output data stream at desired level a target bandwidth is selected based on the transmission channel capacity and the receiver capability of the least capable receiver of a client user. The noted thresholds T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 are automatically updated or changed on a frame by frame basis by monitoring the actual bandwidth of the transmission channel and generating a control signal from the difference between the actual bandwidth and the target bandwidth to vary or reset T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 as will be described in detail hereinafter.
For the Y component, the 4.times.4 pixel blocks of the entire frame are classified as moving or non-moving blocks in the Y.sub.LL3 subband on the basis of the thresholds in steps (a) and (b) above. For moving blocks detected in the Y.sub.LL3 subband, all of the corresponding pixels in all nine Y high bands are sent.
For non-moving blocks in the Y.sub.LL3 subband, motion detection is performed on the blocks in the Y.sub.LH3, Y.sub.HL3 and Y.sub.HH3 subbands.
For non-moving blocks in the third level high bands Y.sub.LH3, Y.sub.HL3 and Y.sub.HH3, motion detection is performed on the second level high subbands and for all moving blocks detected the corresponding pixels in all of the ten Y subbands is sent.
For non-moving blocks only the raw data for the Y.sub.LL3 subband is sent and no other data from the other nine Y subbands is sent.
For the U and V components since there are only the subbands U.sub.LL2 and V.sub.LL3, only the motion data stream is sent for each component along with the motion data of Y.sub.LL3 component as raw data, without scalar quantization, as shown in FIG. 1.
For each frame, the size of the motion blocks at the various levels is as follows:
Level LL3, LH3, HL3, HH3
Block size: 1 pixel
Level LH2, HL2, HH2 Block size: 4 pixels
Level LH1, HL1, HH1 Block size: 16 pixels
Motion video may be considered as a sequence of images that may consist of different scenes involving low to high motion. In order to maintain a reasonably constant output data rate, the method of the instant invention provides an adaptive arrangement to adjust such output data rate to be commensurate with the available transmission channel bandwidth and the receiver resources of the client users that is based on the following two observations. The first is that motion and resolution in an image can be traded off since the human eye is not sensitive to details in a high motion picture sequence. The second is that higher resolution in an image is influenced by the higher subbands. That is for more details in an image, higher subbands need to be included in sending the video data stream.
The motion detection step and the adaptive resetting of the motion thresholds based on updating on a frame by frame basis will be described step by step in detail. Before describing the algorithms in detail, certain definitions should be considered.
Movcoef LL3=Number of moving coefficients in the LL3 subband in the current frame.
Previous movcoef LL3=Number of moving coefficients in the LL3 subband in the previous frame.
Coef-diff=Movcoef LL3-Previous movcoef LL3.
Target Bw=bytes per frame desired for the output.
Previous Bw=Computed bandwidth in bytes per frame for the previous frame.
Bw ratio=Target Bw/Previous Bw
Delta Bw=Incremental bandwidth index determined for the Delta Bw Index Table of FIG. 10.
Bw index=An index represented by an integer from 0 to 6. The number 0 represents high motion and there low resolution and the number 6 represents low motion and therefore high resolution.
The motion detection algorithm and adaptive bandwidth control is shown in function form in FIG. 3 and the motion detection flow diagram is shown in FIG. 4. This process of the present invention is performed by the following steps:
(a) The subband coding is performed and the motion detection is performed using the thresholds T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 for the Y.sub.LL3 subband and the Movcoef LL3 is computed.
(b) With the Movcoef LL3 and the Previous moveoef LL3, the relative motion in the current frame is computed, which is the computed Coef-diff.
(c ) With the previous Bw Ratio and the Coef-diff, the Delta Bw is determined from the Delta Bw Index Table of FIG. 10.
(d) a new Bw index is then determined by adding the current Bw Index and the Delta Bw.
(e) New thresholds T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 for each subband type are then determined from the table of FIG. 11 by use the new Bw index and list of the subband types.
(g) Motion detection is then performed for the high bands and the whole frame is encoded.
(h) The new bandwidth (New Bw) and the frame rate (frame-rate-value) are then computed.
The first frame is compared to a reference frame, since there is no previous frame, consisting of all pixels et at a certain gray level. The gray levels are indexed 0 to 255 to provide 256 intensity levels for each pixel. The intensity level for each pixel can be represented by 8 bits or one byte.
The motion detection algorithm for the first frame is described by the following steps.
After subband coding and using the motion detection criteria as described above, to process the first frame one computes the number of moving coefficients in band Y.sub.LL3, which is Movcoef LL3.
Next one computes the total number of number of coefficients in the LL3 subband, which is OFFVAL.
Next the first Band Width index is computed as follows:
if the Movcoef LL3>5*OFFVAL/6 the first image is a high motion image so that one has to apply a low resolution, thus the current BW index=1.
However, if the Movcoef LL3>OFFVAL/3, the first image is a low to medium motion image, so that one needs to apply a medium resolution., thus the current BW index=3.
Otherwise this image is definitely a low motion image, so that high resolution is applied so that the current BW index=6.
The Movcoef LL3 is now stored in a variable register as Previous movcoef LL3 in order to reuse it in the following frames.
With the new current BW index one can then obtain the new motion thresholds by referring to the table shown in FIG. 11 which identifies the T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 threshold values and the High Bands Motion Detection routine is applied This last routing will encode the nine Y high subbands of the current fame by comparing them with the nine high bands of the previous frame and using the current BW index and its associated motion thresholds as identified in the table of FIG. 11.
Next one generates the new bandwidth which is new Bw=(Total Video Packet Bytes*90.0/Video Time) 88.0 where the Total Video Packet Bytes is the total number of bytes in all of the ten Y subbands and Video Time is the time to encode all of the ten subbands.
To this Bw value, one then adds the audio byte for the first image, if any. Thus, new Bw=Bw+mean Audio.
However, despite taking into account the motion characteristic of the image, the new Bw value may not be close to the target Bw value. To achieve the target Bw the frame rate must be adjusted to match the target Bw in accordance with the Frame Rate routine which is described in detail hereinafter. One then stores the new Bw in a variable (previous frame Bw), to be reused by the next frame.
The advantage of the Gray reference frame is that, independent of the image sequence, the initial frame (the Gray reference frame) is always fixed and know both to the sender and to the receiver. If at any time due to channel interruptions the video packet is lost, the a receiver can use the Gray reference frame to synchronize the image sequence. Another advantage is that whenever a new client wants to join a video conference in the middle of a running sequence, an initial reference frame is not required. The Gray reference frame that is available to the new client can be used to become synchronized with the video sequence. This avoids the necessity to transmit initial frames such as required by the MPEG type compression scheme. Also, initial frames will be required to be transmitted without any compression thereby adding additional overhead to the output data stream and thereby reducing compression.
To process further frames of the input color video data stream the following routine is pursued. After subband coding and using the motion detection criteria to detect motion, one computes the number of changing coefficients in LL3 which is Movecoef LL3. After setting some variables, one obtains the previous Bw since actual video Bw=previous Bw. Then the Bw ratio is generated which represents the ratio of the current Bw to the target Bw.
The Delta Band Width is used to correct the Bw Ratio as will be described. The Delta Band Width generates a new current Bw index by computing two values. The first one, Coef-diff, is computed with the motion characteristics of the current frame and the previous frame. The second value, Bw ratio, comes from the ratio between the Target Bw and the Previous Bw. These two values are used to specify a value in the table, the Delta Bw Index table, of FIG. 10. The value specified in such table is the Delta Bw Index value, which value is then added to the current Bw Index value which is then used to identify new thresholds in the table of FIG. 11.
This value is chosen by a process that involves first choosing the most appropriate column of the Delta Bw Index table of FIG. 10. After computing the difference of motion between the current frame and the previous frame, Coef-diff=Movcoef LL3-Previous Movcoef LL3, one then proceeds through an if-else if-else statement to determine the best column of the Delta Bw Index table.
If Coef-diff>2/3*Size LL3, SizeLL3 being equal to the number of coefficients in subband LL3, one switches from a low motion picture to a high motion picture, e.g., a scene change. One the picks the last column of the Delta Bw Index table which is the 7th column of such table.
Else if the Coef-diff>SizeLL3/24 and the Coef-diff<2/3*SizeLL3, one knows that there has been a switch from low to medium motion or medium to high motion. Thus, the 6th column is picked from Delta Bw Index table to identify a new Bw Index.
But if the Coef-diff>-SizeLL3/24 and the Coef-diff<SizeLL3/24 it is evident that both frames keep more or less the same motion characteristic and the 5th column of the Delta Bw Index table of FIG. 12 is selected. from medium to low motion or high to medium motion and the 4th column is selected in the Delta Bw Index table of FIG. 11.
Else if the Coef-diff<-2/3*Size LL3 then there is has been a switch from a high motion picture to a low motion picture, such as a still image, and the 3rd column is selected in the Delta Bw Index table.
The appropriate row in the Delta Bw Index Table is chosen in the following manner. One compares the ratio between the target bandwidth and the previous bandwidth to determine the appropriate row of the Bw Ratio column and then with the appropriate Coef-diff having been determined to select the appropriate column a Delta Index Value is selected. This Delta Bw Index is then added to the previous Bw Index to determine a new BW Index which is then used in the table of FIG. 11 to select the new thresholds. You now exit from the Change bandwidth and Adjust Band Width routine to complete the processing as for the first frame.
One then applies the High Bands Motion Detection routine as previously described. A new bandwidth is then generated by new Bw=(Total Video Packet Bytes*90.0/Video Time)*8.0. To this new bandwidth value, one then adds the audio byte, if any, for the first image. Thus, the new Bw=new Bw+mean Audio.
However as previously described, despite taking into account the motion characteristic of the image, the new bandwidth value can be far away from the target bandwidth. Thus, frame rate value=Change Frame Rate (target Bw/new Bw). One stores the new Bw in a variable register (previous frame Bw) to be reused by the incoming frame.
Since the frame rate routine is used in the two cases described above in detail, it is also described in detail. The main concern in this routine is when the current bandwidth is larger than the target bandwidth. This means that the bandwidth ratio of target Bw/current Bw is smaller than unity. If the bandwidth ratio<1 the frame rate needs to be modified to reach the target bandwidth.
If i=1 while i<RATE TABLE SIZE if the new frame rate tab rate [i] This is done so that one may stay between the maximum frame rate and the minimum frame rate if the tab rate [i-1]>=frame output rate and if the tab rate [i-1] and the loop is exited else the new frame rate=1.0 exit of while loop, else next 1 end while else if current Bw<target Bw the new frame rate=1.0.
For each frame, as previously noted, the size of the motion bocks at the various levels is as follows:
After the motion detection algorithm has been performed, with the updating of the motion thresholds as described in detail above, the low-band raw data, without scalar quantization form the Y.sub.LL3, U.sub.LL2 and V.sub.LL2 bands is sent directly for packet formation to the network interface, as shown in FIG. 1. The nine high bands quantized motion data for the Y component is further compressed through run-length and Huffman coding before it is combined with the low band data in the packet formatting block.
As noted the last stage of the encoder consist of lossless entropy coding consisting of a run-length coder and a variable length. The run-length encoder compresses the input video data stream by representing consecutive zeroes by the run length when a zero run is present. The encoder counts the number of consecutive zeros until it reaches the last zero or the maximum zero run length.
The variable length code used provides further lossless compression by assigning the shortest code to the most frequently occurring gray levels within an image and the longest codes to the least frequently occurring gray levels. Huffman codes provide the optimum mapping between the pixel value and the code word and has been adapted for optimum use with the CODEC taught by the instant invention.
Determination of the Huffman code requires knowledge about the pixel value distribution within an image. Therefore, the first step in arriving at the Huffman code is to compute in real time the pixel value histogram of the image. Next a table is formed with the pixel values arranged in a column by descending order of probability occurrence. The next step in generating the Huffman code is to reduce the number of probabilities by combining the lowest two probabilities together to form one new probability. An new column is then generated using the other unmodified probabilities and the newly formed probability. This column is arranged in descending order of probabilities. Further reduction in probability is continued by generating additional columns that are formed by combining the two lowest probabilities and then rearranging the new set of probabilities in descending order of their value. This process of reducing the number of probabilities continues until there are only two probabilities remaining . The second phase of the Huffman coding starts at the last column, containing the two probabilities and working towards the first column assigns a set of variable length codes to each pixel value. During the process of moving from the last column to the second column, each time a probability is encountered that was formed by merging two probabilities together, an additional code symbol is assigned to the two probabilities that form this merged probability. This process of assigning codes continues until the first probability column is reached and all the pixels values have been assigned a variable length code. Decoding of the image is accomplished using a look-up table that translates the Huffman code to the corresponding pixel valve.
The audio is similarly compressed separately through readily compression algorithms known in the art and multiplexed with the video data.
FIG. 12. Shows the functional block diagram for the decoder section 14. Only the video decompression portion is illustrated as the audio portion is performed by readily available algorithms. The received audio data is separated from the video data and decompressed using readily available components and the decompression algorithm. The video data decompressor reverses the function performed by the encoder section 12. Finally, the decompression section converts the YUV video data back to the RGB format for display of the video images on the screen of a suitable receiver.
In summary, a novel method has been disclosed for compressing an input color video data stream for moving images for a web stream to be transmitted over a transmission channel having a variable bandwidth to client users having receivers that may receive data input at different acceptable data rates. The compression of such input color video data stream is continuously updated on a frame by frame basis in accordance with the presently available bandwidth of the transmission channel and the resources of the least capable receiver of a plurality of client users. The compression may be updated by adjusting certain parameters of the motion detection arrangement and by adjusting the frame rate of the output color video data stream of the encoder for web streaming of multiple layers of color data streams. Thus, a cost effective digital color video compression arrangement is provided for storage and distribution of good to excellent multimedia information on information networks using personal computers operating on provided software to accomplish the novel method of the invention.
The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts and method steps may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
1. A method for compressing input color video data for moving images for a web stream to be transmitted over a transmission channel having a variable bandwidth available to client users having receivers that receive data input at different acceptable data rates, which method comprises the steps of:
compressing an input color video data stream having a determinable frame rate for moving images on the basis of a target bandwidth on a data transmission channel having a variable bandwidth to provide a compressed output video data stream having a determinable frame rate;
transmitting the compressed output color video data stream to at least one receiver over said transmission channel;
determining the actual available bandwidth of the transmission channel on a frame by frame basis as the compressed output video data stream is transmitted to at least one receiver,
changing the compression of said in put color video data stream in response to comparing the actual available bandwidth on said transmission channel during transmission of the present frame to the available bandwidth on said transmission channel at the time the last frame of said compressed data stream was transmitted thereover whereby the next frame of the subsequent transmission of said output color video data stream is transmitted in packets at a rate commensurate with the actual bandwidth available to a user of said transmission channel at the time of transmission of the previous frame of said data stream,
continually determining the actual available bandwidth of the transmission channel as said compressed output color video data stream is transmitted to at least one receiver, and
continually changing the compression of said output color video data stream in response to a control signal generated from a comparison between the present actual available bandwidth on the data transmission channel and the actual bandwidth on said transmission channel for the immediately previous frame of said data stream whereby the data rate of the packets of said compressed color video data stream is continually adapted to be commensurate with the available variable bandwidth on the transmission channel to dynamically control the packets of said compressed color video data stream, said compression of the input color video data stream includes providing a plurality of levels of subband coding of the input color video data stream, spectrally decomposing selected blocks of pixels of said subband levels to image transform coefficients representative of a level of movement within each pixel block and said control signal is determined by detecting the difference between the present available bandwidth of said output color video data stream and the available bandwidth of the color video data stream transmitted in an immediately previous frame and dynamically changing the rate of compression, as necessary, of said input color video data stream in response to said control signal to provide an output color video data stream in packets having a data rate commensurate with the available bandwidth on the transmission channel to receive such packets.
2. The method of claim 1 which further includes the steps of determining the data rate capability of the receiver of at least one client user to receive said output color video data stream, and
adjusting the data rate of said output color video data stream to be an acceptable data rate for the receiver of the client user.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the input color video data stream and the output color video data stream is presented in successive frames and the detection of motion is performed by determining whether a threshold of movement within blocks of image transform coefficients of a frame has been exceeded.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the threshold of movement is provided by two thresholds with a first threshold being determined by the difference in intensity level between corresponding image transfer coefficients in two successive frames and if this difference exceeds said first threshold the image transform coefficient is declared to have moved and with the second threshold being set on the number of image transfer coefficients that have moved within a block of coefficients in a frame, and
the rate of compression of the input color video data stream is controlled by varying the first and second coefficient thresholds in accordance with said control signal to achieve a desired output data rate.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the data rate of the output color video data stream is further adjusted by adjusting the frame rate of said output data stream on a frame by frame basis whereby said data rate of said output data stream becomes commensurate with the available bandwidth on the transmission channel.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data rate of the output color video data stream is determined, in addition to the available bandwidth on the transmission channel, by the receiver capability of a client user in accepting output color video data stream from the transmission channel.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the data rate of the output color video data stream is determined, in addition to the available bandwidth of the transmission channel, by the least capable receiver resources of a client user of a plurality of users.
8. The method of claim 7 which further includes providing a receiver having a decoder for a client user, which receiver receives the output color video data stream from the transmission channel and decompresses such output color video data stream in real time for suitable display image.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the compression step provides a base layer output color video data stream that is transmitted over the transmission channel to a plurality of user clients to provide a basic image quality for each user client.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the compression step further provides a plurality of additional data streams of color video data over said transmission channel to all user clients to permit a receiver of a user client to successively improve the resolution of the received display image and to provide more details for a reconstructed display image.
11. The method of claim 1 which further includes the step of providing a receiver in the form of a suitable digital computer which receives software that is digitally transmitted over the transmission channel to said digital computer for decompressing the received output color video data stream to provide a reconstructed display image.
12. The method of claim 11 which further includes the step of providing a suitable digital computer and operating such computer in accordance with software to provide such data compression step.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the compression step may be varied to vary the output color video data stream to adjust the resolution, image size, and frame rate for the coded images being transmitted over the transmission channel.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the data decompressing step may also be varied to vary the received output color video data stream to adjust the resolution, image size and frame rate of the decoded reconstructed visual image to be commensurate with a receiver of a client user receiving such output data stream.
15. The method of claim 1 which further includes the step of multiplexing a compressed digital audio data stream with the output color video data stream.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the output digital color video data stream is packetized for distribution in an effective network throughput over the transmission channel to a plurality of client users.
17. The method of claim 7 which further provides the step of subjecting portions of the output color video motion data stream to loss-less compression prior to transmission over a transmission channel having a variable bandwidth available to each client user.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein said loss-less compression is provided by run-length encoding and Huffman encoding.
19. A cost effective method for compressing input color video data for moving images for the purpose of streaming a compressed output color video data stream over a packet switched network in the form of a data transmission channel having a variable bandwidth to client users having receivers that provide high quality visual images and which receive data input at different rates, which method comprises the steps of:
compressing an input digital color video data stream having moving images at a predetermined data rate on the basis of a target bandwidth available on a data transmission channel to provide a compressed output color video data stream comprising a plurality of digital video data streams representative of various levels of resolution of a visual image represented in successive video frames and spectrally decomposing the image frames of the input color video signal into a plurality of multilevel frequency subbands and to a plurality of levels and selecting from said frequency subbands a base level digital color video raw data stream that is transmitted in the output video data stream for creation of a base level visual image and at least two additional digital color data streams to provide additional visual details of a visual image as may be desired by a client user;
transmitting the compressed output color video data stream in packets of determinable length to at least one receiver over a data transmission channel;
determining the present bandwidth available on the transmission channel on a frame by frame basis as the compressed output video data streams were transmitted to at least one receiver;
adjusting the rate of compression of said input digital color video data stream in response to such determination on a frame by frame basis whereby the immediately succeeding transmission of a frame of said output digital color video data stream is commensurate with the present bandwidth available on said data transmission channel; and
decompressing the output digital color video data stream at each client user to provide a color visual image having motion.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the input digital color video data and the output digital color video data stream are presented in successive frames and the adjustment of the rate of compression is made on a frame-by-frame basis in response to a control signal generated by a comparison of the data rate of a color video data stream presently being transmitted for a frame to the immediately previous data rate of the previous frame.
21. The method of claim 19 which further includes providing the compressed output color video data stream to a plurality of client users as a base level visual image is provided to all clients for achieving a basic visual image and providing additional data streams to a client user to successively improve, as may desired by such user, the resolution of the received visual image and to provide more details for the reconstructed visual image.
22. The method of claim 19 which further includes the step of adjusting the resolution, image size and frame rate of the visual image represented by the output color video data stream during the step of compressing the input color video data stream in response to a control signal generated by comparing the actual bandwidth on the transmission channel available to the presently transmitted video to the bandwidth on the transmitted channel available to the last transmitted frame of said video data stream.
23. The method of claim 22 which further includes the step of adjusting the resolution, image size and frame rate of the visual image represented by the output color video data stream during the step of decompressing said output color video data stream in response to a control signal generated by comparing the actual bandwidth on the transmission channel available to the presently transmitted to the bandwidth on the transmission channel available to the last transmitted frame of said video data stream.
24. The method of claim 19 wherein said spectrally decomposing the image frames of the input digital color video signal is performed by wavelet transform filters having outputs that are rounded off to powers of 1/2.
25. The method of claim 19 wherein the compression step includes performing scalar quantization on said additional digital color video data streams to generate quantized additional data streams, performing motion detection on said base level color video raw data stream and said quantized additional digital color video data streams and thereafter performing a loss-less compression coding routine on said quantized additional motion data streams to provide said output color video data stream comprising a motion detected base level data stream and motion detected quantized additional digital color video data streams.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein said loss-less compression coding routine includes run-length coding and Huffman coding.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the Huffman coding includes generating tables for mapping between pixel values as represented by image transform coefficient values and a code word represented in the output color video data stream.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein said tables generated for the Huffman coding are renewed for each frame to provide optimum distribution of pixel values within the visual image represented by said output color video data stream.
29. The method of claim 19 wherein the rate of compression is also determined by the acceptable data rate of the least capable receiver of a plurality of client users and by a control signal generated by a comparison of the bandwidth of a data stream presently being transmitted for a video frame to the bandwidth on said channel that was available to the immediately preceding video frame of such data stream.
30. The method of claim 19 wherein the data compressing and decompressing steps are provided by data processing means that are operated by software.
31. The method of claim 19 wherein the decompressing step is performed in real time by a receiver of a client user without storage of such received color video data stream.
32. The method of claim 19 which further includes the step of multiplexing a compressed digital audio data stream with the output color video data stream.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein said multiplexed output digital video data stream is packetized as effective network throughput for distribution over a data transmission channel providing a packet switched network to a plurality of client users.
34. Cost effective method for compressing input color video data for moving images for the purpose of streaming a compressed output color video data stream over a packet switched network in the form of a data transmission channel having a variable bandwidth to client users having receivers that provide high quality visual images and which may receive data input at different acceptable rates, which method comprises the steps of:
compressing an input digital color video data stream having moving images at a predetermined data rate on the basis of a target bandwidth available on a data transmission channel to provide a compressed output color video data stream comprising a plurality of digital video data streams representative of various levels of resolution of a visual image represented in successive video frames and performing scalar quantization on said additional digital color video data streams to generate quantized additional data streams, performing motion detection on said base level color video raw data stream and said quantized additional digital color video data streams and thereafter performing a loss-less compression coding routine on said quantized additional motion data streams to provide said output color video data stream comprising a motion detected base level data stream and motion detected quantized additional digital color video data streams;
4903317 February 20, 1990 Nishihara et al.
5115426 May 19, 1992 Spanke
5546477 August 13, 1996 Knowles et al.
5557320 September 17, 1996 Krebs
5611038 March 11, 1997 Shaw et al.
5617142 April 1, 1997 Hamilton
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5903673 May 11, 1999 Wang et al.
Date of Patent: Jul 18, 2000
Assignee: Cubic Video Technologies, Inc. (San Diego, CA)
Inventors: William N. Guetz (San Diego, CA), Keshoolal Bakhru (San Diego, CA), Fredric W. Ritchey (San Diego, CA)
Primary Examiner: Richard Lee
Assistant Examiner: Gims Philippe
Attorney: Frank D. Gilliam
Application Number: 9/84,820
Current U.S. Class: Bandwidth Reduction Or Expansion (375/240); 348/384; 348/398; 348/413; Contour Or Chain Coding (e.g., Bezier) (382/242)
International Classification: H04B 166; H04N 712;
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Blood on the Motorway
Sleepwalk City
A Final Storm
Welcome to Discovery Park
PAUL STEPHENSON BOOKS
Horror - Sci-Fi - Music
Last call for five star sci-fi
June 24, 2019 Paul Stephenson
Nine books. Seven authors. All with an Amazon rating north of 4.5 (we’re rounding up!) or higher. All full books, and – here’s the best bit – each on available for 99c/99p. The catch? This offer is only on until the end of this week, so if you want to grab one, you’d best be quick about it.
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Chromed: Upgrade, by Richard Parry
It's 2150AD. There hasn't been a corporate war... until now.
Mason Floyd is an augmented syndicate enforcer at the top of his game. His job is asset protection and acquisition, no questions asked. Company tech is stolen on Mason’s watch. Rival megacorps want it, and they don’t mind killing him to get it. Framed for the theft, Mason runs. He tangles with off-grid rockstar Sadie Freeman on the grimy seam between the powerful and poor. Together they uncover a secret an entire city died to keep. Hunted and desperate, they must team up to survive.
Together Mason and Sadie can save the world. Apart, both are lost. They must trust each other or die.
Megacorps. Cyborgs. AI. Gene-spliced monsters. Syndicate enforcers. Off-grid illegals. Supersoldiers. Rock music. Violence. Einstein-Rosen bridges. Liquor. Enhanced reflexes. Power armor and energy weapons. Full body replacements. Swearing. Mind control. Telekenetics. G-Men. Drugs. Neural links. Orbital cannons. THIS IS CYBERPUNK.
Negative Return, by Jessie Kwak
He's in over his head. And the one man he needs to trust the most is the one he's been contracted to kill.
Manu Juric's quick wit and knack for creating unexpected explosions has taken him a long way in the hit man business. At least, until he signs on to a job that might just be out of his league: taking out one of Bulari's most notorious crime lords, Willem Jaantzen. After the attempt is horribly botched, Jaantzen spares Manu's life in exchange for joining up with his motley crew for one small heist. There's a reason Manu avoids teamwork: it's the worst. And as the increasingly unpredictable job plunges Manu into an ever-tangling web of uneasy dangers and bristly egos, he realizes he's going to need to find some allies — fast. But who do you trust, when everyone's a criminal?
NEGATIVE RETURN is part of Jessie Kwak's Durga System series, a fast-paced series of standalone gangster sci-fi novellas set in a far-future world where humans may have left their home planet to populate the stars, but they haven't managed to leave behind their vices. And that's very good for business.
Last Escape, by S.J. Bryant
Happiness; just 50 credits.
Aart is a revolutionary with a heart of gold, but good intentions can only get you so far. Sell rage. Buy courage. The emotional black-market is thriving, people are being harvested like cattle, and Aart is the only one with the guts to save them.
But can one man overcome the system? Or will the poor continue to be sapped of every good feeling?
If you enjoy sci-fi action, then load your plasma pistol and strap in for this gripping space adventure.
Chromed: Consensus, by Richard Parry
In 2150AD, humanity surrenders decisions to corporate masters.
Megacorp Reed Interactive’s prodigy Austin Ainley creates abhorrent mind-influencing tech. Reed terminate his contract but keep the invention. Austin plans to get it back.
He hungers for the wealth and power his invention promises. With a team of off-grid mercs, including the mil-spec cyborg Ruby Page, Austin plans a heist on a syndicate titan. If he succeeds humanity will fall, but he’ll have his vengeance. Is that too big a price to pay?
A Happy Bureaucracy, by M.P. Fitzgerald
If Arthur McDowell does not survive auditing the wasteland, then society dies with him. No big deal or anything. Safe and sound inside a government bunker, Arthur is proud to be just another drone.
But for an ambitious man (and excellent typist) such as Arthur, a promotion to supervisor is just around the corner. But his world is flipped when the brass makes him a census-taker instead. His task: to head out into the irradiated streets armed with paperwork and red tape. Assigned to him is a drug-addicted bodyguard, Rabia Duke, who could care less if they survive. The wastes bring much to fear. But even above radiation, roving gangs, and starvation, what the world should fear the most remains bureaucracy. A happy bureaucracy.
Brazil by way of Mad Max, M.P. Fitzgerald’s A Happy Bureaucracy is a bleak and hilarious look at the wheels of a system that keep turning even when nothing else is left.
Momentary Stasis by P.R. Adams
World peace can be deadly. Humans discover alien technology and start colonizing worlds outside the solar system. Genetic modification produces miracles. Science advances the human condition. And, for the first time in history, the nations of the world have achieved real peace with each other. But only the elite truly benefit from all the advancements. Most people are still trapped on an Earth ruined by chemical pollution, nuclear accidents, and chaotic weather changes. Rebellious "genies"—genetically engineered servants—cause more harm than good. And global corporations have stripped the idea of nations and freedom of any real meaning. Sergeant Jack Rimes is no stranger to intrigue. The U.S. Army Special Forces operator lives in a time where every nation on Earth is at peace… but there are plenty of secrets to go around. As corporate greed threatens humanity, genetically engineered humans are making international mayhem of their own. After his unplanned reassignment to the Intelligence Bureau, Jack is tasked with tracking down a rogue agent implicated in a political assassination. As he and his new partner, an old flame, search the globe for answers, the truth shakes him to his core. The powers-that-be may not be very interested in keeping humanity alive… Momentary Stasis is the first book in a provocative series of grimdark military sci-fi novels full of intrigue, horror, and action that unflinchingly explores the impact of technology and unbridled greed on humanity. If you like gritty, flawed protagonists, tech-heavy thrillers, and incredible new worlds, then you’ll love the first installment from PR Adams’ provocative new series.
The Guardians, by Don Viecelli
The Tyrax Attempt To Destroy All Human Life Within Days With A Nanobiotic Weapon!
A ruthless and merciless race of aliens called the Tyrax send a doomsday weapon that detonates multiple missile warheads over twenty-four sparsely inhabited land areas around the globe. It causes a biological transformation using nanobots that threaten to destroy all life forms on the planet within days.
This is only the beginning for survival of the human species.
Into Twilight, by P. R. Adams
He does the government’s dirty work. When he’s double-crossed by one of his own, he’ll stop at nothing to take out the trash.
Korea, 22nd Century. Surrender isn’t in Stefan Mendoza’s DNA. So when a traitor betrays his black-ops team, he alone pushes through the torture and escapes with revenge burning in his mind. On the verge of a systems failure, he taps into his underground network for a set of cybernetic limbs. But his high-tech recovery comes at a heavy price—an assassination hit on a rising political star.
Filled with resentment for the cutthroat world of contract killers, he uses the hit job as a cover to track down the traitor. When he discovers he’s competing with other assassins for the same political target, he starts to piece together a sinister conspiracy that could lead him straight to the shadowy figure behind his betrayal.
Trapped within a hotbed of corruption, can Mendoza exact his revenge and win his freedom or will he spiral deeper into the twisted game of brokered death?
Into Twilight is the first book in The Stefan Mendoza Trilogy of high-octane cyberpunk techno-thrillers. If you like street-smart soldiers, complex conspiracies, and immersive sci-fi settings, then you'll love P.R. Adams's noir-style page-turner.
Paul Stephenson is a writer of horror and science fiction novels. Blood on the Motorway: An apocalyptic trilogy of murder and stale sandwiches is out now in ebook and print from Amazon and all other good bookstores. You can get the first book free by joining the mailing list or reading along at Wattpad. Oh, and he’s got a Patreon. Sign up for free books, a free weekly short story, and much more.
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tinkity tonk old fruit, and down with the nazis
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Bagel guy says viral rant has already changed his luck with the ladies The chip-on-his-shoulder Long Island bagel shop customer whose viral rant about dating turned into a brawl is going back for another bite, he told The...
Ladies and gentlemen: Robert De Niro, bagel salesman Look, we’re not here to sniff at major celebrities doing commercials. Hell, we just lauded Tommy Lee Jones for his insane, decade-long commitment to s...
Watch: Mom in labor's positive drug test blamed on bagel A New York state mother was temporarily separated from her newborn son after a bagel caused a false positive on a drug test administered while she was...
‘It’s about belittlement’: Angry bagel guy who lives in van explains viral rant “If you’re looking for the short guy who is angry, he’s around the corner fighting with the homeless people.” The Long Island bagel shop customer whos...
For Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Rome Offered Something Novel: A Bagel In the 54th match between fierce rivals, the Italian Open final offered the first scoreless set by either player. Nadal hung on to win his first title...
Man gets tackled at bagel shop following rant about women and being short: 'You're not God or my father or my boss!' After footage of a short man ranting at customers at a bagel shop before getting tackled went viral, the star of the video apparently proclaimed that ...
Pregnant mother tests positive for opiates after eating poppy seed bagel A New York state mom was separated from her newborn baby — because, just like in the classic “Seinfeld” episode, she failed a drug test af...
Long Island bagel shop customer goes on bizarre tirade over dating apps A Long Island bagel shop customer was caught on camera lashing out at other patrons in a bizarre tirade about women rejecting him because of his short...
Woman claims she was separated from newborn after testing positive for opiates because of poppy-seed bagel Less than 24 hours after a mother in New York gave birth, her baby was taken from her after she tested positive for opiates — despite claiming she did...
How Fox’s ‘9-1-1’ filmed a fiery explosion for its season finale The explosion of a real fire engine is the centerpiece of the season finale of Fox’s “9-1-1” (Monday, 8 p.m.). Make no mistake: CGI was not used to ac...
Met officers filmed pinning down man apparently having a seizure Footage shows man repeatedly saying ‘I can’t breathe’ during incident in Poplar, east LondonThree Metropolitan police officers have been filmed pinnin...
Oil tanker filmed ablaze in the Gulf of Oman – video Two oil tankers have been hit in suspected attacks in the Gulf of Oman and the crews evacuated, a month after a similar incident in which four tankers...
A24 to screen some of its biggest hits for free in the cities they were filmed Apparently worried that its reputation as a home for critically acclaimed oddball film-making was still somehow insufficiently adorable or quirky, ind...
Tommy Robinson filmed punching man outside England match Footage shows anti-Islam activist knocking man to ground in PortugalThe anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson has been filmed punching an England fan to ...
Camille Billops, Who Filmed Her Mother-Daughter Struggle, Dies at 85 A sculptor, painter and filmmaker, she gave up her daughter for adoption and documented the reunion they had 20 years later — only to reject her again...
Musk courts controversy with tweets on sex video filmed in Tesla Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent a series of tweets loaded with double entendre Thursday after a video surfaced this week of two people having sex in a Tesla ...
Elon Musk weighs in on porn filmed in Tesla on autopilot A Los Angeles adult film performer and her boyfriend found a perhaps predictable way to use their time while riding in a Tesla on autopilot mode last ...
Florida man filmed by security camera killing wife sentenced WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his wife, whose death was filmed by a security camera ...
Bangladeshi Man Filmed Masturbating On Paris Metro Gets 8 Months In Jail A French court on Monday sentenced a man to eight months suspended jail after he masturbated on the Paris metro in front of a woman who filmed the off...
WATCH: Angela Merkel filmed shaking during German national anthem German Chancellor Angela Merkel was filmed shaking repeatedly while listening to her country's national anthem, prompting fears she was suffering from...
Someone Filmed a Modern Car Race With a 1968 Video Camera and the Results are Amazing A YouTuber named Nick Shirrell decided to break out his vintage 1968 video camera and record a modern track day, dubbing over some old-timey racing co...
Woman who filmed man 'masturbating' on train claims she's facing jail and fine of £40,000 A FEMALE train passenger who filmed a man who was allegedly masturbating while looking directly at her claims she could be fined £40,000 for invading ...
How Scientists Filmed a Giant Squid in North American Waters for the First Time Scientists spotted an elusive giant squid in its deep-ocean habitat in American waters for the first time. These titanic, whale-battling beasts are ra...
Tennessee coach filmed rubbing girl's back to change schools A longtime Tennessee high school baseball coach is being stripped of his coaching duties and sent to another school over a video of him rubbing a fema...
Sigrid to meet super fan filmed crying during Glastonbury show after appeal Norwegian singer Sigrid is set to meet a teenage fan who was overcome with emotion during her Glastonbury set after launching a social media appeal to...
Here are some interesting details from the first video ever filmed inside a B-2 stealth bomber's cockpit The first video filmed inside the cockpit of the vaunted B-2 Spirit stealth bomber was recently released. The footage reveals some details about what ...
Katrina Pierson tweeted about Gaza. The video she posted was filmed 2,000 miles away. Senior Trump campaign adviser Katrina Pierson tweeted a video captioned “Rockets fired into Israel from Gaza" during a violent uptick along the border...
Baby Rhino Filmed Trying To Wake Its Dead Mother In Heartbreaking Video A video of a baby rhino trying to wake up its dead mother, killed by poachers, is being held up an example of the ugly truth of poaching wildlife. Fil...
Iraq says I.S. remains threat, leader Baghdadi filmed video in 'remote area' Islamic State remains a potent threat around the world despite reduced capabilities, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, adding its...
Miami Cop Filmed Brutally Arresting Dyma Loving Arrested, Charged With Battery Officer Alejandro Giraldo, the Miami-Dade cop filmed violently taking down and arresting a black woman who called the police for help, was arrested an...
Austrian leader calls crisis meeting after deputy filmed discussing deals Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called a crisis meeting late on Friday after two German newspapers published footage purportedly showing his deputy...
Blow your nose, dry your eyes, and learn how The Blair Witch Project's "confessional" scene was filmed 20 years ago yesterday, The Blair Witch Project was released in theaters, becoming a landmark in film culture. It proved not only that an incredibly p...
Blue Bell Is Looking for a Woman Filmed Licking Ice Cream and Putting It Back in a Store Freezer Blue Bell Ice Cream is looking for a woman seen in a viral video opening a container of the brand’s Tin Roof flavored ice cream, licking the top...
Minnesota Superintendent Promises 'Aggressive Action' After Middle School Teacher Filmed Using Racist Language Wendy Brilowski, a teacher in Highland Park Middle School, Minnesota, has been placed on leave after video proof showed her hurling racial slurs to st...
Florida Woman Charged With Felony After Daughter Is Filmed Licking Tongue Depressor in Medical Center A woman who reportedly shared a video to social media of her daughter licking a tongue depressor at a medical facility in Jacksonville, Florida and re...
King's College London probe after senior lecturer in mental health filmed 'poking Remain campaigner with Union Jack flag' King's College London has launched an investigation after a senior lecturer in mental health was filmed at a Brexit Party rally apparently hurling ver...
Chernobyl HBO location: Where is Chernobyl filmed? Where is it set? CHERNOBYL on HBO and Sky Atlantic is an incredibly successful dramatisation of the nuclear disaster. But where is the filming location of Chernobyl? A...
FCA and Renault to go public on potential tie-up Fiat Chrysler and Renault are set to confirm talks on a potential tie-up on Monday, with the board of the French carmaker called to an early morning m...
Beyond Meat went public at $25. It's now trading around $200 Fake meat may be a real bubble. Shares of Beyond Meat surged nearly another 10% in early trading Tuesday after the plant-based protein company announc...
2020 Democrats buy in to the public option The Democratic presidential candidates who are backing a healthcare "public option" or "buy-in" that would have the government offer medical coverage ...
Slack going public in a red-hot IPO market, with a twist Workplace messaging firm Slack is about to go public in a red-hot IPO market, but it's approach to going public--using a "direct listing"--is sli...
This $15 course makes public speaking a little less terrifying There are ways to turn your fear around and start using the tools of presentation to engage others, persuade doubters and even enrich yourself and you...
How to Handle a Public Toddler Tantrum We were in the Trader Joe’s parking lot. My daughter—who was two at the time—refused to get into her car seat. I tried coaxing her calmly, and then no...
Branson's Virgin Galactic to Go Public Virgin Galactic has plans to become the first publicly listed human spaceflight company. It expects that the deal to go public will give it enough cap...
How to Avoid Getting Sick From a Public Pool If your holiday plans involve a trip to the public pool, you may be interested in a recent warning from the Centers for Disease Control. On Friday, th...
VPNs can solve public Wi-Fi anxiety The way you behave online is heavily influenced by where you are located and local online alert cues, new research has claimed.A study carried out by ...
Slack valued at over $20bn after going public When companies do decide to go public they often do so with an initial public offering (IPO) as the added help from Wall Street and the financial sect...
With ring of a bell, Uber goes public With a ring of the opening bell, Uber is looking to pick up passengers as a newly public company on the New York Stock Exchange. Officials expect trad...
Is gun violence a public health issue? Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., says gun violence should be considered a public health issue, and she is promoting legislation that would require the federa...
Here's a better way for pro-lifers to win the battle for public opinion Thanks to advances in scientific imagery, neonatal medicine, and contraception development, the pro-life movement is more poised than ever to shift ev...
Best free and public DNS servers of 2019 DNS (Domain Name System) is a system which translates the domain names you enter in a browser to the IP addresses required to access those sites.Your ...
Why a T-Mobile/Sprint Merger Would Be Bad for the Public Opinion: FCC chair Ajit Pai says the deal is in the public interest. Except it would raise prices, reduce competition and innovation, and harm low-inc...
‘Ooh na na, What’s Her Name?’ Has the Public Been Mispronouncing Rihanna’s Name This Whole Time? If you were stunned to learned that Rihanna managed to low-key move to London without tipping off any fans to the transatlantic move, brace yourself f...
‘The public has a right to art’: the radical joy of Keith Haring Colourful and cartoonish, accessible and political, Keith Haring’s work has never gone out of fashion. But what drove him?• ‘He has changed things’: K...
Info on UFO sightings not to go public, Navy says The U.S. Navy has drafted new guidelines for pilots and other employees to report “UFOs,” but none of the information will be public, according to a r...
Top House Dem says impeachment needs more public support WASHINGTON (AP) — A top House leader says Democrats may eventually launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, but not until they h...
Americans trust this public institution more than any other Americans last year still trusted the U.S. military more than any other public institution – as they have for two decades, according to a Gallup...
Democratic divisions surge into public view Democratic divisions over race, age and ideology surged into public view as the party's leading presidential contenders faced off in a fiery deba...
WeWork lost $1.9 billion last year, but it's considering going public The We Company, parent company of WeWork, is the latest in a string of richly valued start-ups set to go public this year. But though it is valued at ...
Bart Starr to be remembered at public service Former NFL quarterbacking great Bart Starr is being remembered at a public memorial event in his native Alabama ...
New Polestar 2 makes UK public debut at Goodwood Polestar’s 402bhp, 311-mile range Tesla Model 3 rival is on display at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed Polestar's second production model, ...
Baghdad's Green Zone reopens to the public Iraqi security officials say Baghdad's Green Zone area, the heavily fortified strip on the west bank of the Tigris River, is now open to the public ar...
Virgin Galactic to become first public spaceflight company British billionaire Richard Branson said Tuesday his spaceflight company -- Virgin Galactic -- will soon become the first ever listed on a public trad...
Alabama Public Television won’t run ‘Arthur’ gay wedding BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Public Television has chosen not to air an episode of the PBS children’s show “Arthur” because it in...
macOS Catalina public beta is now available to download If you can’t wait until later this year to test out Apple’s latest operating system, then you can now download the macOS Catalina public...
Johnson says he is prepared to increase public borrowing Favourite to be PM is challenged over how he would invest in services and cut taxesBoris Johnson has said he would be willing to increase public borro...
Biker killed in NH remembered as public servant Police, family and fellow bikers are remembering a motorcyclist who was among seven killed in a collision with a pickup truck last week. Dozens attend...
The RealReal Goes Public as Secondhand Fashion Becomes First Choice The company, which is selling shares in an I.P.O., is one of several businesses catering to younger shoppers who want luxury goods at affordable price...
Washington to offer first ‘public option’ insurance in US SEATTLE (AP) — Washington is set to become the first state to enter the private health insurance market with a universally available public option. A ...
iOS 13 public beta 2 now available to download on iPhone and iPad Six days after the latest iOS 13 developer beta rolled out, Apple has released the new public beta, complete with all the features you missed if you d...
You can download the first iOS 13 public beta on iPhone and iPad right now The future of Apple’s mobile operating system has arrived for everyone who wants to test it today, as the first public beta for iOS 13 is now av...
America’s Public Defenders’ Offices Are Broken. Here’s How to Fix Them As a former prosecutor and attorney general of California, I saw our legal system at its best when we pursued justice and stood up for victims of murd...
Public Markets Expose the Myth of the Unicorn Some Silicon Valley’s unicorns have achieved lofty valuations in private markets where well-heeled optimists could readily buy, but skeptics couldn’t ...
How to install tvOS 13 public beta on your Apple TV Apple has seeded the beta version of tvOS to its public beta testing group. The first beta of tvOS 13 corresponds to the second tvOS 13 update made av...
Miley Cyrus speaks out against man who groped her in public Pop star says a woman ‘can be wearing what she wants … She can’t be grabbed without her consent’Miley Cyrus has spoken out after a man grabbed and kis...
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to Go Public Virgin Galactic has plans to become the first publicly listed human spaceflight company. It expects that the deal to go public will give it enough cap...
Public meeting set for proposed ban of tattooing over scars FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Department of Health has proposed banning artists from tattooing on scarred skin and is holding a public meeting on...
Any interference in Russia probe is something public has 'right to know about': GOP lawmaker The American people "have every right to know" if political interference took place at the Justice Department regarding the Russia investigation, Greg...
Tesla's first V3 Supercharging stations are open to the public Tesla's V3 Supercharging stations are finally available to everyone. Well, everyone that owns a Tesla and wants to cruise on down the company...
TPD hosts active shooter preparedness course for public TUCSON – With active shooter situations popping up around the country, The Tucson Police Department wants to make sure the public is prepared. O...
TPD hosts public active shooter presentation TUCSON – What to do when there’s an active shooter situation? Would you know how to react if a gunman invaded your work office? While active shooter ...
Hungary To Make Public Transportation Greener Hungary's public transport systems will offer greener services by switching to non-polluting vehicles, official sources said here on Tuesday. "Regiona...
Australian police can now snoop on public Wi-Fi users Connecting to public Wi-Fi always carries certain risks but users who access the internet at McDonald's and Westfield in Australia could be targe...
Should O.J. Simpson be verified by Twitter like other public figures? O.J. Simpson joined Twitter last week and already has more than 750,000 followers – and several copycats on the social network. ...
Navy Says Data From New UFO Reporting Won't Be Public, SO WHAT ARE THEY HIDING???? Last week, the U.S. Navy announced it was “drafting new guidelines” for how its members should report all the freaky shit they see while flying and s...
DeepMind's ‘Starcraft II’ AI will play public matches Players will soon get a chance to battle it out with DeepMind's Starcraft II AI. Alphabet and Blizzard will test AlphaStar in a small number of p...
3 Questions: An experiment illuminates the value of public transportation Urban residents hear a lot about public transit fares, but to what extent do transportation costs really affect riders? A group of urban studies resea...
How to install iOS 13 public beta 1 on your iPhone and iPad right now It’s not July yet, but it sure feels like it, as Apple released iOS 13 public beta 1, which is now available to download for supported iPhones, ...
WeWork Files for Initial Public Offering Shared office space giant WeWork said it has filed for an initial public offering, making it the latest highly valued startup to shoot for the public ...
Overcast can create clips from any public podcast It can be a headache to share a favorite podcast moment with your friends. Unless you're willing to dive into the file with a media editor, you&#...
Japan emperor's first public greeting attracts 140,000 Emperor Naruhito greeted tens of thousands of people at the Imperial Palace on Saturday in his first public appearance since he took the throne days e...
Scientists must worry in public about the dangers of their creations The US Department of Defense is ending its contract with cold war-era advisory group JASON. That’s OK – today’s scientists need to air concerns in pub...
Community can voice concerns over I-11 at public meetings TUCSON – The Arizona Department of Transportation is holding a public meeting to get input on the proposed Interstate 11. Wednesday’s even...
Nintendo is running low on time to show NX to the public (credit: Aurich / Getty) Usually, when a new game console is nine months away from launch, the console maker has already softened the ground for the...
Denver Uber users can buy public transit tickets in the app Uber customers in Denver can now use the app to purchase transit tickets. This makes Denver the first city in the world to get the added capability, b...
Fallen firefighter remembered as selfless public servant APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin firefighter killed by gunfire after responding to a medical call has been remembered as a proud father, loving hus...
Should That Minor Planet Be Named Gonggong? Astronomers Want the Public’s Help Astronomers discovered the minor planet 2007 OR10 more than a decade ago. Now they’re asking the public to vote on what to submit as its official name...
Chicago Finds a Way to Improve Public Housing: Libraries Other cities have combined books and subsidized housing, but the outgoing mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has embraced the concept with three striking new projec...
Digital health start-up Livongo files to go public Livongo got its start in 2012 with an offering that included glucose monitors and test strips for people with diabetes. It has subsequently expanded i...
Ohio State wants info on '96 doc investigation made public Ohio State University wants to publicly share information about a confidential State Medical Board investigation involving the team doctor now accused...
Public Enemy and the X-Men headline our favorite stories of the week Here’s a compilation of our favorite features published this week. Be sure to follow along with our TV recaps and check out all our recent reviews....
WWE superstar Jeff Hardy arrested for public intoxication Pro-wrestling superstar Jeff Hardy was busted for public intoxication at a beachfront hotel this weekend in South Carolina, according to authorities a...
Trump awards medals to public safety officers WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has awarded the Medal of Valor to 14 public safety officers, including eight who responded to a shooting at a...
Public testing is underway for Halo: Reach but it's very exclusive 343 Industries has confirmed that the first public beta test for Halo: Reach, part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, is underway but it’s c...
NordVPN advert about public Wi-Fi was a byte too far argues UK ad authority Popular VPN company, NordVPN, has been criticised by the regulator for UK’s advertising industry, ASA, for producing an advert that it says, ex...
Crime Trackers: FBI warns public about virtual kidnappings TUCSON – The FBI says scammers are adding a new twist to virtual kidnappings. That twist is when people receive calls from an individual claiming they...
NJ public employee retires after never missing day of work in 62 years His final day of work last Friday was no different from when Willie Sumlar started on Aug. 12, 1957. “I was trying to get stuff done,” Sum...
Houghton Road Corridor Projects Public House TUCSON -The City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT) and Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) will be having a public open house for four...
Baghdad's Green Zone reopens to public after 16 years Thousands of walls have been removed from area, which is now open ‘without exceptions’Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone has reopened to the publi...
How To Open Public Provident Fund Account With SBI? 10 Things To Know Public Provident Fund (PPF) account, a retirement planning-focused instrument, is considered among the most sought after investment products by financ...
Microsoft starts public tests for 'Halo: Reach' on PC Halo: Reach is now playable on PC... for a handful of very early adopters. Microsoft and 343 Industries have shared a slew of Master Chief Collection ...
Why the New York Public Library Has 7 Floors of Stacks With No Books In Midtown Manhattan, space is prized. But stacks at the library’s main branch are empty because officials say the space cannot protect irreplaceable ...
How to install iOS 13 and iPadOS public betas on your iPhone and iPad Apple has officially released the first public beta of iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and tvOS 13, giving you a chance to try out the new software be...
Abortion Bans Create a Public Health Nightmare Making abortion mostly illegal will kick off an unintentional, vast experiment in public health—one where the outcomes are sick or dying women and chi...
Sneferu’s Distinctive Bent Pyramid Opened to the Public In Egypt, the Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany has announced that two pyramids are being opened to the public for the first time since 1965. ...
Social media is revolutionizing how scientists interact with the public The field of science communication -- the practice of informing and educating people about science-related topics -- arose just after the start of the...
FAA chief says flying public will regain faith in Boeing jet FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The chief of the Federal Aviation Administration says “maybe” public confidence in Boeing’s 737 Max jet is ...
| Chiefs issue public statement after 'unacceptable' season Kaizer Chiefs have issued a official statement promising radical changes to ensure that next season the club can once again compete for trophies on al...
Sri Lanka bans face coverings for 'public safety' Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena banned all forms of face coverings including the burqa and the hijab in the name of national security, the p...
Uber posts $1B loss in its first quarter as a public company Uber Technologies reported a $1 billion loss in its first quarterly report as a public company on Thursday, despite a 20 percent rise in revenue, post...
Public groups stepping up e-commerce retail efforts The U.S. public dealership groups are deepening their investment in e-commerce initiatives to help customers go further in buying -- or selling -- a c...
This Thanos Bathing Suit Exists, And I Wore It In Public On June 13, 2019, my coworker Chelsea Stone saw a tweet about a Thanos bathing suit for women. Because she does her due diligence, she didn’t just sen...
Cows Escape Slaughterhouse In Poland After Public Outcry A herd of free-roaming cows in Poland, whose intended slaughter upset animal-lovers and created a national outcry, have secured a last-minute reprieve...
Amsterdam flights disrupted by public transport strike Around 80 flights to and from Amsterdam Schiphol were canceled on Tuesday as a nationwide public transport strike made it hard for passengers and staf...
Sudan's Bashir appears in public for first time since ouster Sudan's former President Omar al-Bashir appeared in public on Sunday for the first time since his ouster, as he was led away to a prosecutor's office ...
Mueller finally spoke in public on Wednesday. Trump did not. For the first time in eight days, the president did not appear on camera, offering a relatively limited public reaction to Robert S. Mueller III’s nin...
Sudan's Bashir appears in public for first time since being ousted Ex-president is taken out of prison to the office of the anti-corruption prosecutorSudan’s former president Omar al-Bashir has appeared in public for ...
Sudan’s Bashir appears in public for first time since ouster Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir has appeared in public for the first time since his ouster, as he was led away to a prosecutor’s office in a c...
Uber adds London's public transportation info to its app Londoners can now compare their public transport and ridesharing options in the Uber app. Tuesday, the company added real-time Underground, bus, train...
Airbnb CEO weighs in on the hotel push and plans to go public Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky and RXR Realty CEO Scott Rechler join "Squawk Alley" to discuss the two companies partnering to change hotel pr...
Mueller To Make 1st Public Statement On Russia Investigation WASHINGTON (AP) – Special counsel Robert Mueller will make his first public statement on the results of his nearly two-year long Russia investig...
Public cloud suffering huge expectations gulf A major expectation gap exists between what IT managers hoped the public cloud would deliver for their organizations and what has actually transpired ...
Brooklyn community board spent $26K in public funds on SUV A Brooklyn community board took $26,000 in public funds and splurged on a hybrid SUV that was reportedly found parked at the board manager’s hom...
Baby hippo to make public debut at Dallas Zoo Almost three weeks after its birth at the Dallas Zoo, a baby hippo and its mother will make their public debut together for the first time on Saturday...
Use Google Maps To Check Public Transportation Status Plenty of us rely on public transportation, but there are times when your local transit system is anything but reliable. Those of us who use it to com...
Mueller to make 1st public statement on Russia probe WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Robert Mueller will make his first public statement on the results of his nearly two-year long Russia investigation ...
What's special about Germany's public swimming pool culture Dipping in the pool, snacking on french fries and ice cream, sunbathing in the park: That's how people spend a day at the "Freibad." Here's a look at ...
CBOE Holdings, Inc. Prices Its Initial Public Offering CHICAGO, June 14, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- CBOE Holdings, Inc. today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 11.7 ...
NYPD appeals to the public for help finding Yorkie snatcher A man nabbed an adorable Yorkshire Terrier from its Queens home, and the NYPD wants help getting the pooch home. The adorable fluff ball was snatched ...
Sri Lanka police ask public to hand in blades following bomb Police in Sri Lanka have requested members of the public hand over swords or other large knives to the nearest police stations after hundreds of such ...
Meghan, Harry present royal newborn to public Royal couple show off their newborn son to the public on Wednesday, with the proud new mother declaring him "a dream." No name has yet been given to t...
Facebook revives 'View As Public' profile feature Today, Facebook announced two changes that could make it easier to manage your publicly visible info. First, Facebook is bringing back the "View As Pu...
European elections expose polarized British public Support for Labour and the Conservatives has collapsed, with the Brexit Party and pro-Remain parties coming out on top. So where does this leave the U...
The hot, turbulent summer of Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” “Fight The Power” is arguably Public Enemy’s greatest moment. As the theme song for Spike Lee’s classic film Do The Right Thing, it precipitated the L...
Uber IPO: the rich people who will get even richer when the company goes public The ride-hailing app will have one of the largest initial public offerings in history on 10 MayThey are the spoons full of sugar that make the bitter ...
Website seeks public’s help to ID suspects in unsolved cases LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky police department has launched a website to seek the public’s help in identifying suspects in unsolved cases. A...
UA Coach Dick Tomey public memorial announced TUCSON – Memorial services for legendary University of Arizona football coach Dick Tomey have been set for Friday, May 31. The public memorial ...
MTA: Halting car ban on 14th Street is causing ‘public confusion’ The 14th Street bus is bus-ted. A court-ordered injunction halting the city’s plan to ban cars from sections of 14th Street has “greatly i...
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic prepares to go public Deal will help fund venture until its spaceships can operate commercially and make profitVirgin Galactic, Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism venture,...
Apple launches iOS 13 and iPadOS public beta early Apple must be feeling confident about iOS 13 and iPadOS, as the public beta for both operating system updates has launched a week sooner than anticipa...
Thailand’s new king addresses the public after his gilded coronation The coronation was the first of its kind in almost 70 years, and marks what analysts say will be a more assertive reign under King Maha Vagiralongkorn...
Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch' undergoes public restoration Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum has begun historic restoration work on Rembrandt's 17th-century masterpiece "The Night Watch." Curious visitors will be able t...
Public input wanted on new border barrier project TUCSON – U.S. Customs and Border Protecting is asking for input on a proposed border barrier project. CBP wants to replace up to 63 miles of ped...
Singapore seeks public consult on 5G policies, deployment Country's industry regulator wants industry and public feedback on the regulatory framework it should put in place to facilitate the deployment of 5G ...
Slack is latest tech company to go public, with a twist NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of work messaging platform Slack are expected to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “WORK.R...
Neighbour who called police over Boris Johnson row goes public Tom Penn, 29, says he wants to put the record straight in wake of furore over loud altercation The neighbour who contacted the police over a late-nigh...
Japanese emperor Naruhito makes first public appearance Imperial family greets Tokyo crowds from palace balcony six timesTens of thousands of people queued for hours to catch a glimpse of Japan’s new empero...
Public to weigh in on revised California vaccine bill SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Residents are getting their first chance to weigh in on a revised California measure giving state public health officials ov...
DeepMind AI is secretly lurking on the public StarCraft II 1v1 ladder Enlarge (credit: Blizzard) Google's DeepMind is making its state-of-the-art AI play StarCraft II again. We previously saw the AI, called "AlphaStar,...
Smoke, Drink and Eat What You Want, Norway’s Public Health Minister Says The new minister, from a right-wing, anti-immigration party, told an interviewer that people knew what was healthy and she would not be the “moral pol...
Thai king wrapping up coronation with audience for public BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn is wrapping up three days of coronation ceremonies with appearances before the public and the...
Former Nebraska state senator cited for urinating in public LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska state senator who has been working for the city of Lincoln has resigned his post after being ticketed for urina...
ABCs of LGBTQ history mandated for more U.S. public schools A picture book for second graders about a family with two moms. A lesson for fourth graders about Gold Rush era stagecoach driver Charley Parkhurst, w...
Emily Ratajkowski's most provocative public appearances Emily Ratajkowski brings the wow factor to "Lying and Stealing" and to every red carpet the model steps on. Her most memorable moments: &...
Uber makes its hotly anticipated public debut Ride-hailing giant Uber will begin life as a public company on Friday, under pressure to start trading strongly after conservatively pricing its initi...
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to go public by year-end British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic plans a stock market listing by the end of the year, giving it the much-needed funds to take on ...
Pelosi on AOC, Omar, others: 'These people have their public whatever and their Twitter world' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., again dismissed freshman like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., downplaying the amount of power they had am...
Probation services to be brought back under public control The supervision of all offenders in England and Wales is being brought back under public control, after a part-privatisation was dogged by controversy...
How to download and install macOS Catalina’s public beta right now Apple released the public beta versions of its new operating systems iOS 13, iPadOS, WatchOS 6, macOS Catalina, and tvOS 13. These versions might have...
How to Enroll in the iOS 13, macOS Catalina, and iPadOS Public Betas The public betas for iOS 13, macOS Catalina, iPadOS, and tvOS 13 are finally available. Here’s a quick recap of how to sign up, and what testers can ...
Judge: Public defender must represent massacre defendant FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A judge ruled that the public defender must continue representing the man charged in last year’s Florida high schoo...
Japan’s emperor greets public for 1st time since succession TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito has greeted the public for the first time since his succession, expressing hope for Japan to keep pursuing...
HUD seeks to force undocumented migrants from public housing More than 55,000 children could be displaced by a federal plan to force undocumented immigrants from public housing, including children who are legal ...
Vaping device maker sponsoring public health research NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A historically black college in Tennessee is planning to research the impact of electronic cigarettes and vaping with a grant ...
Waymo's Jaguar EV hits public roads for self-driving tests Waymo is putting its Jaguar I-Pace EVs on the road for more public testing, only this time around it's been fully kitted out with self-driving te...
Uber Posts $1 Billion Loss in Its First Quarter as a Public Company Uber reported a $1 billion loss as the ride-hailing service spends heavily to build up its food delivery and freight businesses, sending revenues up 2...
Quebec Bans Religious Symbols in Some Public Sector Jobs A bill banning some public employees in Quebec from wearing religious symbols like head scarves, skullcaps, turbans and crosses has passed despite con...
Legal pot faces final public hearing test in Maine AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s tentative rules about legalized recreational marijuana are up for a key hearing that could represent one of the proposa...
GoTenna is ramping up public sector mesh networking with a $24M C round GoTenna is best known for its outdoors-oriented consumer products that let you text and share locations between smartphones off the grid. But the com...
Slack Stock Soars, Putting Company’s Public Value at $23.1 Billion The workplace messaging company’s shares rose in early trading on the stock market on Thursday, and by the afternoon its value was more than triple it...
Boris Johnson accused of cowardice as he dodges public scrutiny Tory leadership frontrunner avoids interviews and refuses to commit to TV hustingsLatest on Tory leadership contest - live updatesBoris Johnson has be...
Blocked EU fails on climate pledge, despite increasing public pressure Paralyzed by internal divisions and unable to agree on the bloc's direction, EU leaders have failed to agree on tougher climate targets. But can they ...
Drug charges against Russian journalist dropped after public outcry Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev announced that the charges against Ivan Golunov were dropped after police found "no proof of his part in a crim...
In China, Public Talk of Sex Is Rare. Could a ‘Pleasure Community’ Change That? Strangers gathered in Beijing to discuss a subject rarely addressed publicly in China: how to satisfy a woman. These workshops come at a fraught time ...
Public memorial for late UA football coach Dick Tomey TUCSON – Memorial services for legendary University of Arizona football coach Dick Tomey will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday. The public memorial wi...
Australia public broadcaster head concerned by police raid The head of Australia’s public broadcaster ABC says she has “grave concern” about a police raid on the corporation’s headquarters in connection with a...
HUD proposal aims to remove undocumented immigrants from public housing TUCSON- A proposal by the Trump administration could see thousands of families removed from federal housing programs, including hundreds in Arizona. T...
Extinction Rebellion protester convicted of public order offence Angie Zelter, 68, wanted judge to take ‘urgency of the climate emergency’ into account The first person to face trial over the Extinction Rebellion pr...
Apple releases public betas of iOS 13, iPadOS and macOS Catalina Now's your chance to peek at the future of Apple software without signing up for a developer account. Apple has released the first public betas o...
U.S. to launch public hearings on additional China tariffs next week The U.S. Trade Representative's Office on Monday will kick off seven days of testimony from U.S. retailers, manufacturers and other businesses about P...
North Korea's Kim Jong-Un's Sister Appears In Public After 52 Days North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's sister has appeared in public for the first time in almost two months and shortly after a South Korean report that s...
Kim’s sister back in public eye at North Korea’s mass games Sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends public event in Pyongyang, casting further doubt on speculation she had been ordered to lay low afte...
Slurpees Incoming! 7-Eleven Begins Delivery in Public Places NEW YORK (AP) — Craving a Slurpee but lacking the motivation to get off a park bench? No worries. 7-Eleven launched a delivery service Monday th...
Push for public vote on Missouri abortion law hits roadblock JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Efforts to put a new Missouri law banning abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy to a public vote have hit another roadblock...
Police raid Australian public broadcaster over Afghan leak Australia's Federal Police have raided the offices of the national public broadcaster in connection to a 2017 story based on leaked military documents...
Fed monitor: Mayor de Blasio’s new housing chief misled public Same as the old boss. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s latest choice to head the New York City Housing Authority “omitted material details” while testifying abo...
U.S. gig workers get support from private companies, but public policy lags As the gig economy matures and embraces more of the U.S. workforce, workers are taking freelance jobs seriously. It's time our public policy did too.R...
Cloudera Struggles Highlight Rapid Rise of Public Cloud Cloudera Inc., an early player in the open-source software framework Hadoop, saw its shares plummet this week on news that Chief Executive Tom Reilly ...
Facebook is tweaking how it ranks public comments so the worst ones get hidden Facebook is taking more steps to try and limit negative comments and abuse on its platform, introducing an improved ranking system for comments on pub...
Slack to take unusual route to public markets, likely valuing it around $16 billion Slack Technologies, the fast-growing workplace messaging and communication platform, is poised for an unusual public listing on Thursday that will see...
The Sad, Public Struggles of Etika and More Shocking YouTube Star Tragedies Fame, online trolling and fragile mental health can be a combustible combination. The search for Desmond Amofah, a YouTube personality and gamer know...
Google Said to Have Fired Lobbyists in Wake of Growing Public Scrutiny Google is trying to plug a surge of public scrutiny around the world by overhauling how its policy office operates, with increased emphasis on having ...
Public raises £36k for cyclist who hit yoga teacher after she stepped out on phone More than £36,000 has been raised for a cyclist facing bankruptcy after he was ordered to pay compensation to a pedestrian who stepped out in front of...
EU: Sudan military responsible for deaths, violence committed against the public The European Union said Monday it holds the ruling Transition Military Council responsible for the deaths of over a hundred people in Sudan since the ...
Canadian panel calls for universal public drug coverage A Canadian advisory council studying prescription drug coverage said on Wednesday the federal government should create a C$15.3 billion ($11.5 billion...
Sudan's Bashir charged on corruption in first public appearance since ouster Sudan's ex-president Omar al-Bashir was charged with corruption-related offences on Sunday, as he appeared in public for the first time since he was o...
Apple tips that the iOS 13 and iPadOS public beta release will come as over-the-air update Updating your iPhone or iPad to the new iOS 13 and iPadOS editions that will spark a new features joy at the Marie Kondo level has been made harder th...
Cockpit recording from Navy ‘sky penis’ incident made public When the idea first got floated to one of the Naval officers, his initial reaction was “no, bad.” It “would be awesome,” his w...
UPDATE 4-Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to go public by year-end British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic plans a stock market listing by the end of the year, giving it the much-needed funds to take on ...
Baby Polar Bear Makes Public Debut At Ohio Zoo TOLEDO, Ohio (NBC News) — A baby polar bear made its first appearance Friday at a zoo in Ohio. Baby Bo, short for Borealus, joined his mom, Crys...
Judge: Pension plan analysis wrongfully withheld from public FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky judge says a financial analysis of Gov. Matt Bevin’s original plan to revamp public pensions was wrongfully wit...
Vienna’s euro-a-day public transport model could waltz into Berlin Mayor of German capital considering €365 annual ticket to reduce traffic and pollutionBerliners could pay as little as €1 a day to use public transpor...
UPDATE 5-Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to go public by year-end British billionaire Richard Branson will take Virgin Galactic public by year-end, giving it the much-needed funds to take on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin i...
IndiGo CEO Assures Employees As Promoters Feud In Public: 10 Points India's largest airline IndiGo, a rare success story in the challenging aviation industry, is caught in a messy feud between its founders. Shares in I...
What public institution do Americans trust more than any other? Hint: It's not the media Americans last year still trusted the U.S. military more than any other public institution – as they have for two decades, according to a Gallup...
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Show Off Their Baby Boy To The Public Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, showed off their newborn baby boy to the public on Wednesday before introducing him to Queen Elizabeth II ...
Officer who cursed at kids rescinds public apology promise RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia police officer who cursed at a group of black middle schoolers and promised to publicly apologize has rescinded the ...
Porn a public health crisis in US, Arizona and other states agree Arizona lawmakers last week approved a resolution calling for efforts to prevent pornography from being exposed to young children online, a move simil...
Virgin Galactic announces it will take its space tourism venture public With the capital it raises by going public, the company will be able to sustain its operations until it begins commercial flights and starts generatin...
Barr Says House Subpoenaed Mueller to Create ‘Public Spectacle’ The attorney general also said his review of the Russia investigation indicated so far that he needed to tighten Justice Department rules on investiga...
Judge rejects public defender for Avenatti in fraud case LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge Tuesday rejected attorney Michael Avenatti’s request for a public defender to represent him in a case allegin...
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic plans to go public: source Richard Branson's space-tourism venture, Virgin Galactic, plans to go public as part of a deal with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) creat...
Doris Day’s public image was the one role she could never shake off | Hadley Freeman ‘Girl next door’ was a label that didn’t suit a woman whose life was anything but ordinaryHollywood has always prided itself on being the place where ...
Soda Taxes Are a ‘No-Brainer’ for Public Health, Says the Author of a New Study on Them A new JAMA study suggests taxing sugary drinks really can make people buy fewer of them, potentially translating to better public health. Taxes on sod...
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic plans to go public by end-2019 Billionaire Richard Branson's space-tourism venture, Virgin Galactic, plans to go public by the end of this year as part of a deal with a special purp...
Virgin Galactic is going public to fund its expensive tourist spaceflights Space tourism company Virgin Galactic has announced that it will go public via a merger with an investment firm. Its new partner, Social Capital Hedos...
Washington State Passes a Public Option, But Insurance Companies Will Still Get Their Cut Washington state will become the first in the U.S. to offer a public option for health insurance to all its residents, according to ABC. The option, k...
Hazard makes decision on Chelsea future, not made it public LONDON (AP) — Eden Hazard says he has made a decision over his future and told Chelsea. The forward just isn’t making it public yet. Hazard has ...
Ky. Public Service Commission Denies Atmos Gas Rate Increase FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Public Service Commission has denied a request by Atmos Energy to increase residential natural gas rates for about ...
Jewish schools seek piece of public grants for security Amid a rise of violent attacks against the Jewish community, students and staff members at Jewish day schools in the same neighborhood as the Pittsbur...
Fan Bingbing makes first public appearance in months after mysteriously vanishing Fan Bingbing is returning to the spotlight after mysteriously disappearing from the public eye amid a tax fraud investigation. ...
Uber shares will be overvalued the day they go public, growing number of skeptics say While Uber's IPO is drawing big-name buyers, there's a rising chorus of voices saying the world's biggest ride-hailing company is overv...
The only way to rein in big tech is to treat them as a public service | Nick Srnicek The drive for profit is behind many of the ills of Google, Facebook et al. Unions and public ownership are the only way to solve thisAfter years of pr...
Tennessee police advise public over threat of ‘meth gators’ "Folks…please don’t flush your drugs m’kay," Loretto Police Department wrote on Facebook on Saturday, adding that "if it made it far enough we could c...
Pentagon Ordered to Tell Congress If It Weaponized Ticks And Released Them Into the Public Some members of the United States House are concerned the Pentagon may have unleashed disease-infected ticks that caused the spread of Lyme disease.Re...
Naresh Goyal's First Public Appearance Since Jet Crisis, At A Poll Booth Naresh Goyal, founder of Jet Airways who stepped down as the chairman of the airline amid the deep turbulence, came out to cast his vote in Mumbai on ...
"No Face Veils In Public": Sri Lanka Announces Ban After Easter Bombings President Maithripala Sirisena used emergency powers in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings. The order clarifies that the key criterion for establi...
Public safety concern suspends operations at Port of San Luis SAN LUIS, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspended operations at the U.S. Port of Entry in San Luis Monday morning due to a public s...
NASA Celebrates Earth Day with Social Media, Public Events This Earth Day, April 22, NASA invites you to celebrate our beautiful home planet by participating in a global social media event and local events aro...
Barr, Mueller's traded barbs over probe go public Tensions between DOJ leaders and special counsel Robert Mueller's team broke into public view in extraordinary fashion as Attorney General Willia...
Beyond Meat goes public as sales of plant-based meats rise Beyond Meat is expected to make its debut on the Nasdaq stock exchange Thursday. It’s the first time a manufacturer of plant-based meat is going...
Google’s Demis Hassabis is one relentlessly curious public face of AI Google DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis is relentless in his conviction and his curiosity about intelligence and machines. "The philosophy of what we a...
Israeli PM Netanyahu's wife fined for misusing public money Sara Netanyahu was accused of overspending state funds on catered meals at the premier's official residence although it employed a full-time chef. A p...
ISIS leader went public to 'stop top terrorists DEFECTING to al-Qaida' ISIS’ leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his first appearance in five years to prevent the collapse of the terror group, a security expert has told Dail...
Merkel sits rather than stands at public ceremony, following shaking bouts German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat down rather than standing at a public ceremony on Thursday, a day after a third bout of shaking in three weeks ra...
'Just like a real office': workers use public parking as co-working space WePark is a radical rethinking of city space, which started in San Francisco and has spread as far afield as Toulouse, Bristol, LA and Portland“If we ...
Kentucky Fish And Wildlife Resources To Hold Public Auction FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is set to hold a public auction of surplus and confiscated items. The auc...
Egypt opens Sneferu's 'Bent' Pyramid in Dahshur to public Egypt opened to visitors on Saturday the "Bent" Pyramid built for pharaoh Sneferu, a 101-meter structure just south of Cairo that marks a key step in ...
Lebanon's Hezbollah says banks have duty to help cut cost of public debt The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement said on Thursday Lebanese banks had a "national and moral duty" to help the government resolve its high cos...
Macron’s ex-No. 2 spent public funds on gold hairdryer: reports French President Emmanuel Macron is taking heat over a hairdryer of gold. Macron, who presided over France’s Bastille Day parade Saturday in Paris, is...
Police reassure public following explosion at Tata steelworks in Wales Emergency services have reassured residents that an explosion at the Indian-owned Tata steel mill, in the Welsh city of Port Talbot, was under control...
B.C. announces public inquiry into dirty money — what’s the rest of Canada doing? B.C. has called a public inquiry to examine the billions of dollars being laundered through the province. Here’s how other provinces are responding to...
Louisiana asks public help with invasive Asian swamp eels BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — An invasive species of swamp eel has been found in New Orleans, and a state biologist says it’s the first time this spec...
German official warns Jews against wearing kippahs in public Anti-Semitic attacks in Germany have surged in the past few years. Last year, an attack on two men wearing kippahs — also known as yarmulkes — on a st...
RBI May Toughen Non-Bank Lenders Access To Public Deposits: Report Faced with liquidity crunch after IL&FS default and with rising number of defaults, the shadow bankers are seeking a bailout in the form of a separate...
Second Phase Of FAME To Focus On Electrification Of Public Transport: Government The second phase of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) scheme will focus on supporting the electrification o...
Afghan public health chief settles in UK after kidnap by Taliban Dr Mohammad Haqmal, who developed groundbreaking health initiatives in Aghanistan, granted refugee statusA senior Afghan government official has been ...
Hollywood's biggest talent agency owner is finally going public Ari Emanuel's talent agency owner Endeavor is finally going public. The company released it's long-awaited IPO prospectus on Thursday. The c...
This is the first time Apple’s iPhone 11 model numbers have been spotted in public Try as Apple might, the company simply can’t keep details about upcoming iPhone models from leaking out months ahead of time. While most leaks t...
Jews in Germany warned of risks of wearing kippah cap in public Government commissioner says lifting of inhibitions and rise of uncouthness are factors behind rising incidence of antisemitismGermany’s government co...
Pima County public pools open for Memorial Day weekend TUCSON – Pima County’s nine public swimming pools are open for Memorial Day weekend. The pools officially opened on May 25th. Four pools (Wade McLean,...
Arizona Department of Public Safety celebrates 50-year anniversary TUCSON – From stopping bad drivers to locating lost people, Arizona Department of Public Safety has been keeping Arizona safe for five decades. ...
Mission accomplished for Anthony Joshua at New York public workout Anthony Joshua shows exactly how it should be done inside a New York shopping mall The post Mission accomplished for Anthony Joshua at New York public...
Virginia public colleges agree to freeze tuition next year RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Every public college in Virginia is freezing tuition for the next school year for the first time in almost 20 years. The Richmond...
CDC warns fecal parasite found in public pools is on the rise Americans who enjoy taking a dip in public pools to cool off during the summer face the danger of encountering “crypto,” a diarrhea-causing fecal para...
Robert Mueller to make first public statement about Russia probe Special counsel Robert Mueller will make his first public comments about his report on Russian interference in the 2016 election Wednesday morning, th...
A public DNA database led to a murder conviction, but innocent people may pay the price To date, public DNA databases have been used to identify more than 40 rape and murder suspects, some from cases dating back a half-century. Yesterday,...
Brexit legislation needs to include public vote: Labour's Starmer The British government's Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Bill needs to include another public vote when it is presented to lawmakers again next month, the...
Public dealership groups: Small in number, huge in clout Public ownership of big dealership groups helped transform an industry made up mostly of self-funded small businesses into one flush with cash from bi...
Asos tycoon who lost children in Sri Lanka attacks thanks public Anders and Anne Holch Povlsen thank those who offered condolences after three of their children were killedThe Povlsen family have thanked the public ...
FHFA Chief: Won't wait for Congress to take Fannie and Freddie public CNBC's Diana Olick talks with Mark Calabria, newly confirmed Chief of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the o...
Dems perform marathon public reading of Mueller report House Democrats teamed up Thursday to perform a marathon public reading of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s nearly 500-page report, in a spectacle tha...
Elderly woman killed in public housing apartment fire An elderly woman in her 70s died Thursday morning when a fire broke out in her New York City Housing Authority apartment in Queens, officials said. Th...
Railways Gets Rs 65,837 Crore, Budget Focus On Public-Private Partnership Railways received a budgetary allocation of Rs 65,837 crore and highest ever outlay for capital expenditure amounting to Rs 1.60 lakh crore in the Bud...
Tunisia PM Bans Niqab In Public Institutions "For Security Reasons" Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has banned the wearing of the niqab face veil in public institutions "for security reasons", an official source...
Green Environment Behind Push For Public Transport, EVs: Finance Minister Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the tax proposals in the Union Budget for FY20 on fossil fuels and electric cars must push people to...
Ogle These Vintage Public-Domain Cat Pictures From the Library of Congress The Library of Congress hosts a vast library of public domain images that can be used for anything you want, including commercial use. And they occasi...
May promises 'bold offer' as Corbyn says public vote not 'disastrous' Theresa May has said she is preparing to make a "bold offer" to MPs in a final bid to get her Brexit deal through, as Jeremy Corbyn claimed a second r...
Tunisian PM bans face veils in public institutions after bombing Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has banned the wearing of the niqab, the full face veil, in public institutions for security reasons, an offici...
Tom Homan blasts 'disgusting' NYT op-ed that calls for public shaming of border agents Former ICE Director Tom Homan called out a "disgusting" New York Times op-ed that called for the public shaming of Border Patrol agents, telling "Fox ...
Top Five Supreme Court Judges To Hear Public Interest Litigation Matters With the Supreme Court all set to work in its full strength of 31 judges from July 1 after summer vacation, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has no...
Nitish Kumar Opposes Centre's Pitch For Public-Private Tie-Up In Railways Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a BJP ally, has opposed the central government's proposal to bring public-private partnerships in Railways to enhan...
Public Provident Fund Features, Interest Rate, Partial Closure And More Public Provident Fund (PPF), a retirement planning-focused instrument, comes under "exempt, exempt, exempt" (EEE) tax status. This means that the retu...
Twitter will de-list, not delete politicians’ bannable tweets of ‘public interest’ Twitter revealed today it will be adding a special label to certain tweets — namely those that violate Twitter’s terms of service, but which somehow s...
Singapore public sector to adopt new measures to tighten data security Following a "stocktake" of the public sector's security practices, Singapore's government agencies will roll out "technical measures" for existing as ...
Some NYers furious after public pool opening delayed as temps soar The Big Apple is turning into a baked apple. Summer may be a week away, but temperatures are skyrocketing — with the mercury hitting 89 degrees ...
Energy Drinks Have Become Wildly Popular With Teens. Here’s Why it’s a Public Health Concern Earlier this year, a half-dozen students from City Hill Middle School, in Naugatuck, Connecticut, traveled with their science teacher Katrina Spina to...
French public are England fans now, says Phil Neville before USA semi-final • Manager claims Lionesses are ‘the French second team’• ‘USA are best in the world but we won’t change our style’Phil Neville handled his first diplo...
Quebec bans some public servants from wearing religious clothing, symbols The government of the Canadian province of Quebec passed legislation banning certain public employees, including teachers and judges, from wearing any...
Long Island woman public-safety officer sexually assaulted her A Long Island woman claims a Patchogue public-safety officer sexually assaulted her. She alleges she was walking on the village’s Main Street in April...
Hong Kong protesters continue to demonstrate as leader hides from public Hong Kong protestors in opposition to their legislation’s proceedings demonstrated outside their Department of Justice’s headquarters on Thursday to s...
The company behind Bud Light said it won't take its Asia unit public, cancelling the largest IPO of 2019 Bud Light/YouTube Anheuser-Busch InBev has cancelled its Asia IPO, expected to be the largest of 2019. Shares of the company fell on the news. The ...
Video shows gang members gleefully opening fire in public Shocking footage shows alleged gangbangers grinning as they recklessly fire guns into the streets and skies in Brooklyn. The videos were released Tues...
Apple releases public iOS 13 and iPadOS betas, here's how to download and install today Apple announced iOS 13 on June 3rd, and released the developer beta that same day. We usually have to wait a few weeks for the public beta to be relea...
New Yorkers are losing the Public Library's free movie streaming (updated) There's no such thing as a free lunch, nor apparently a free movie streaming service. From July 1st, New York library patrons will no longer be a...
Court wants Jeffrey Epstein’s potentially defaming documents made public They could reveal new allegations of abuse against “numerous prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well‐...
Trump administration to review 'role of human rights in public policy' Advocates warn the new panel, helmed by an abortion and gay rights opponent, is a threat to progressive reformsUS secretary of state Mike Pompeo has u...
Supreme Court Allows Maryland Cross Honoring WWI Veterans on Public Land (WASHINGTON) — A World War I memorial in the shape of a 40-foot-tall cross can continue to stand on public land in Maryland, the Supreme Court r...
Ethics agency fines MTA supervisor for running side biz on public dime The MTA suspended a city transit supervisor for 30 days without pay for moonlighting — running his own electronics repair shop on state time for...
‘Medicare for All’ vs. ‘Public Option’: The 2020 Field Is Split, Our Survey Shows We asked the Democratic presidential candidates how they would improve the health care system. Some want to eliminate private insurance, but many othe...
Public Health Experts Call for Aggressive, Global Push Against Antivaxxers Public health experts are fed up with the anti-vaccination movement, which is most recently behind a surge of the completely preventable disease measl...
South African Minister Gordhan challenges public protector report South Africa's Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on Wednesday challenged in court a report by the country's anti-corruption watchdog that ins...
Officials push back on AOC's border station claims, say she is 'misinforming' the public Current and former immigration officials pushed back Tuesday at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's high-profile accusations of cruel treatment at an El P...
Kevin Spacey accuser appears for first time in public at hearing, then pleads the 5th Where is the critical cellphone in the Kevin Spacey groping case? Accuser testifies in court for the first time, then invokes his 5th Amendment rights...
Angela Merkel sits during welcoming ceremony following third public shaking incident German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat during a welcoming ceremony for the Danish prime minister Thursday, just one day after she was seen visibly shakin...
Watch the U.S. government blow up more dolls, mannequins and watermelons in the name of public safety Every year around the Fourth of July, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission blows up inanimate objects on the Mall to warn citizens about the da...
French city shuts down public pools after two women wear burkinis Grenoble authorities say shutdown was requested by lifeguards at the poolDespite the unprecedented heatwave sweeping across western Europe, lifeguards...
The new AFL-CIO Executive Paywatch report shows that the average CEO of a major public company is pa The new AFL-CIO Executive Paywatch report shows that the average CEO of a major public company is paid 287 times more than the median employee. The mo...
Houston police chief asks public to help to find girl’s body HOUSTON (AP) — The police chief in Houston says evidence shows that a 4-year-old girl who has been missing since earlier this month was killed and he&...
Public pressure prompts Ohio library to cancel LGBTQ event NEWARK, Ohio (AP) — Public opposition that included Ohio’s Republican House speaker has prompted a county library outside Columbus to cancel an ...
Amphi Public Schools kicks off free ‘Summer Meals’ program School districts offer summer meal programs for students who rely on school for food. TUCSON – Amphitheater Public School District is kicking off its ...
Sudan's public prosecutor to investigate violence at protest site: SUNA Sudan's public prosecutor has set up a committee to investigate violence at the main protest site outside the Defense Ministry headquarters in Khartou...
Ex-City Council candidate pleads guilty to stealing public funds Albert Alvarez, the ex-chief of staff for former City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, copped to a misdemeanor charge of offering a false instrume...
Pentagon issues public rebuke of top British general on Iran threat The U.S. military gave a top British general a public tongue-lashing Tuesday after he told reporters at the Pentagon that Iran does not pose a threat ...
Critic’s Notebook: Chicago Finds a Way to Improve Public Housing: Libraries Other cities have combined books and subsidized housing, but the outgoing mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has embraced the concept with three striking new projec...
Public helps Marana Police arrest a suspected armed robber MARANA – It was at a Motel 6 on Ina near the freeway when a teenage boy walked in and robbed the night clerk. The male subject displayed a handg...
Australian police raid public broadcaster, seize emails and documents Federal police reviewed thousands of documents related to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's reporting on misconduct by soldiers in Afghanistan...
Driverless electric truck starts deliveries on Swedish public road Resembling the helmet of a Star Wars stormtrooper, a driverless electric truck began daily freight deliveries on a public road in Sweden on Wednesday,...
Political Controversies Can Inspire Bullying in Schools, Public Health Researchers Say Political controversies that receive heavy media coverage trickle down into classrooms and spark bullying, suggests a new study out this week. It foun...
Uber CEO Warns Staff of ‘Tough Public Market Times’ After Underwhelming IPO (Bloomberg) — Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, in an email to staff Monday, acknowledged Uber’s rocky trading debut, while at the same time say...
Democrat Warren says she would pick a public school teacher for education post Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren pledged on Monday that if she wins the White House in 2020, her education secretary will be "a form...
Sudan charges Bashir with involvement in killing of protesters: public prosecutor Sudan charged ousted president Omar al-Bashir and others with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters, the public prosecutor said in a...
| Australian police raid public broadcaster amid media crackdown Australian police have raided the headquarters of public broadcaster ABC, the second high-profile raid on journalists in 24 hours in a sharp crackdown...
Tokyo's Halloween Crackdown Includes Plans For Banning Public Drinking Last year, Halloween in Tokyo’s Shibuya descended into chaos. According to News 24, Shibuya is moving towards regulating the area’s Halloween celebrat...
Nunes demands public release of Mueller's 'backup and source documentation' Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, called Friday for the public release of all of special counsel Robert Muelle...
Philippines President Kisses 5 Filipino Women At Public Event In Japan Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte kissed five Filipino women on stage during a speech in Japan's Tokyo, in front of his longtime partner, and said...
Dr. Drew says LA public health in 'complete breakdown': 'No city on Earth tolerates this' The public health situation in the nation's second-largest city is in "a complete breakdown," Dr. Drew Pinsky said Thursday night on "The Ingraham Ang...
Boeing CEO says company is working to regain public trust following deadly 737 Max crashes Two deadly Boeing 737 Max crashes have hurt public confidence, the manufacturer's CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday. That crisis of confidence...
Mueller to deliver first public statement on Trump-Russia investigation – live Special counsel will make a public statement for the first time about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 electionSign up for the ...
Special Counsel Mueller to make first public comments on Russia probe U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday will make his first public comments on his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. pre...
Brazil sues tobacco companies to recover public health costs Brazil’s attorney general’s office announced it is suing multinational tobacco companies to recover costs by the public health care system in treating...
Trump awards highest honor for bravery to public safety officers President Trump awarded the Medal of Valor to 14 public safety officers on Wednesday; the medal is the nation’s highest honor for bravery by a public ...
Yankees great Bernie Williams goes to bat in Washington for art and music in public schools Bernie Williams' love of music is known to New York Yankees fans. Now he is advocating for more music education in public schools. &...
Donald Trump presents Public Safety Officer Medal of Honor President Donald Trump praised the "immortal acts of courage" of 14 first responders who received the Public Safety Officer Medal of Honor on Wednesda...
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Bombshell: CDC destroyed vaccine documents, Congressman reveals
August 2, 2015 August 3, 2015 by Danell Glade
https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/bombshell-cdc-destroyed-vaccine-documents-congressman-reveals/
Bombshell: CDC destroyed vaccine documents, Congressman reveals; CDC whistleblower case is back
by Jon Rappoport
NoMoreFakeNews.com
“…the [CDC] co-authors scheduled a meeting to destroy documents related to the [MMR vaccine] study. The remaining four co-authors all met and brought a big garbage can into the meeting room and reviewed and went through all the hard copy documents that we had thought we should discard and put them in a huge garbage can.” (William Thompson, CDC researcher)
On July 29, US Congressman Bill Posey made his last stand on the floor of the House. Granted five minutes to speak, he laid bare the lying of the CDC in a now-famous 2004 study that exonerated the MMR vaccine and claimed it had no connection to autism.
“No connection to autism” was the lie.
Congressman Posey read a statement from long-time CDC researcher William Thompson, one of the authors of the 2004 Pediatrics study designed to determine, once and for all, whether the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine could cause autism.
Thompson saw and participated in violating the protocol of the study. He was there. He helped his co-authors destroy documents that would have shown an MMR-autism link.
You can see a rush transcript of Congressman Posey’s remarks here (on the ageofautism.com website), which includes his reading of a statement from whistleblower Thompson.
Posey pleads with his colleagues for a Congressional investigation.
Of note: two of the CDC researchers on the infamous 2004 study, who according to Thompson, destroyed vital documents, are Coleen Boyle and Frank DeStefano. They are both high-ranking executives at the CDC in the area of vaccine safety.
This calls into question every single CDC study, under their tenure, that claims vaccines are safe.
CDC whistleblower Thompson’s statement, which Posey read on the House floor, includes this bombshell:
“However, because I [Thompson] assumed it [destroying the documents] was illegal and would violate both FOIA and DOJ requests, I kept hard copies of all documents in my office and I retained all associated computer files. I believe we intentionally withheld controversial findings from the final draft of the Pediatrics paper.”
Thompson has the smoking-gun documents. So does Congressman Posey. I believe others do as well.
So: publish them. Publish them now.
There are lawsuits to be filed. Eleven years have passed since the CDC committed its crime of concealing the MMR vaccine-autism connection. How many parents, never informed of the truth, have permitted their children to receive this vaccine? How many children have been struck down by the vaccine?
The lawsuits should be filed against the CDC and the individual authors of the 2004 study. Lawyers must depose every CDC employee who had knowledge of the crime.
And what about the fact that the MMR vaccine is one of the shots that has been mandated, by law, in California, in other states, and in Australia? Mandating neurological destruction of children is a crime that must be investigated and punished. If these states (and other countries) insist on keeping the MMR on their schedules, they are guilty parties.
Categories Healing Tags cdc destroyed, MMR, vaccine documents, vaccines Post navigation
Understanding the Creation / Upkeep of the Veil, Web, Grid, Net, Matrix
Millions Of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Set To Be Released: This Is Why It’s A Problem
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The views and opinions outlined in the presentation are those of the Schroders’ QEP team, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Schroders or its other affiliates. These views are subject to change over time. The opinions stated in this material include some forward-looking statements. We believe that we are basing our expectations and beliefs on historical, long-term data and reasonable assumptions within the bounds of what we currently know. There can be no assurance, however, that events will occur as we expect or believe.
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Home NEWS & FEATURES Brand-New Shine
Brand-New Shine
John Henley photo
It's been a while coming, but the city of Richmond has been steadily showering TLC on its park system. City workers and contractors are putting the finishing touches on one of the system's biggest projects this year — a major overhaul of the lake at Forest Hill Park (pictured). Until recently, it was an overgrown bog. Richmond parks director J.R. Pope says he hopes that "doing these things will bring people into the park who had possibly never been there." In the coming months, benches, cobblestone paths and lampposts will complete the project for a spring rededication, Pope says. Meanwhile, at Bryan Park, the azalea garden's pond has been restored, and Fountain Lake in Byrd Park is sporting a new building to serve the public.
—Jack Cooksey
Find info and get ideas on where to eat around Richmond.
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